Perfect on Paper (Billdip fanfiction)
by ShiningInsanity2000
Summary: Dipper Pines is a bright-eyed young author with a lot to offer the world. The only problem is... He's got absolutely zero inspiration and his college debts aren't exactly paying themselves off. He needs a character, a muse he can work with. And it just so happens that he finds this muse in the shape of a - you guessed it - triangle! But is this story really worth it?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Sweat beaded on the man's head, and he wiped it away carelessly, pulling the cap off his head to use it as a fan. The skies were clear and the air was way too humid for any actual comfort. The male sitting quietly on the bus seat didn't mind it one bit, though. Summer had arrived, and Dipper was officially a college graduate. He grinned proudly to himself, placing the hat back on his head and grabbing both of the suitcases arranged neatly on either side of him. He had reached his destination.

Gravity Falls.

He departed the vehicle without a word, beaming as soon as his eyes came to rest on his welcoming party. Mabel, his bubbly and overeager twin sister, was the first one to approach him. Or rather, jump into his arms, which is a much more accurate way of describing what had happened. "Bro, I am so super duper, off the wall proud of you! I can't believe you graduated with all A's, you big stupid genius!" she cried with a happiness and pride so overwhelming Dipper felt like it could've crushed him. He laughed, dropping his suitcases and returning the tight hug. He hadn't seen his sister in months. Hell, he hadn't seen anyone in months. Studying for his finals and making sure everything went flawlessly had taken up every ounce of his senior year. But who needed a social life, anyway?

"I'm just glad it's over. I feel like I'm thirty already," he mused, ruffling Mabel's fluffy brunette hair. Stan stepped towards them with a grin and smacked Dipper's shoulder blade. As a child, he probably would've jolted and complained that it had hurt, but he had grown a lot since then.

"Kid, I wish I was thirty," Stan said gruffly, and the three of them laughed cheerfully.

Dipper heard a whistle, and glanced in the direction it had come from. A certain red head stood with her side up against a light post, her arms crossed and a smirk on her face. Dipper could never forget that face, no matter how long it had been since he'd seen it. Wendy took a few steps towards him, eyes lit up with amusement. "Dude, you like, actually grew up. It's weird. Stop it," she teased, punching him on the shoulder and chuckling lightly at her own joke. "I was taller than you last time, man! What happened?" Dipper scoffed, nudging his sister.

"Crazy stuff, I guess. But if it makes you feel any better, I'm still shorter than Mabel by exactly one millimeter," he pointed out with a smile, and Mabel nodded proudly.

She threw both of her arms upwards, alternating hands as she fist bumped the air. "ALPHA TWIN!" she howled, spinning around like a cyclone before Stan grabbed her by one of her wrists and pointed out just how scared she was making some passerby children. Dipper was shocked that he actually seemed to care. That was until Stan told her to save her theatrics for the tourists. Dipper huffed, shaking his head with a small smile.

"It's good to be back," he said softly, looking up into the clear summer sky.

Dipper sat beside his twin on the couch. Mabel was sewing a patch onto a sweater. The patch said something like, "Next time!" in very encouraging purple letters. Dipper glanced away from the notepad in his hands to raise an eyebrow at her. She looked up at him, beaming. "Candy struck out with some guy yesterday and she's been beating herself up ever since. I just wanted to cheer her up, you know?" she said with a sympathetic tone for her friend. Dipper hummed, letting his gaze fall back towards the paper in his hands. So Candy was still in town. Maybe that meant Grenda was, too. And Pacifica. He fidgeted in his seat. He wondered whether or not her parents still controlled every aspect of her life, which made him inexplicably very angry.

He tore the scribbled on piece of lined paper out of the notepad, crumpling it up and tossing it to the floor. Another bad idea. Grumbling, he set to work on something else. Maybe something he had a lot of knowledge about. The supernatural? Well, he was certainly well-versed in that, so at least he now had a premise to work with. But sadly, in terms of detail and even main characters, his mind was just about as blank as the paper in his hands. He exhaled, running his fingers through his hair and knocking the cap off of his head.

Nothing.

He had absolutely nothing to work with.

He was a fucking English major, for god's sakes! He had graduated college with all A's. Even worse, it had been the college he had specifically gone to because it would push him to work hard and further his writing career. But of course, here he was, sitting on the couch in the Mystery Shack completely void of any and all creative inspiration. Mabel placed a hand on his shoulder. "Maybe it's just not your day, bro-bro. Give it time. I'm sure something will come to you," she assured with a tap to his forehead. Dipper frowned. Those weren't the words he had wanted to hear. What he had wanted to hear, he wasn't even sure. Great. Something to add onto the now very long list of things Dipper didn't know but really wanted to.

He stood up, leaning down to pick up all of his discarded papers, which had piled up in the hours he had spent obsessing over ideas. "I think I'm gonna go to bed early tonight. It was a long bus ride," he said sullenly, taking the large quantity of paper wads and disposing of them in the trash can. From the living room, he heard Mabel call her goodnight out to him. Stan, who was in the kitchen cheating against Ford in poker, twisted around in his chair. "Oh, yeah. Dipper," he said, waving his nephew over to him. Dipper stepped forward, pocketing the black ink pen in his hand. "Ford and I are gonna be leaving tomorrow morning to take care of some nerdy space anomalies popping up around the east coast. We'll probably be gone about a month. You think you and Mabel can deal the place while we're gone? Soos is on an away trip with that Melody girl and I've got no one else right now. Think you can do it without setting the place on fire?"

Dipper shrugged. "Sure," he replied simply. He didn't mind the fact that they were leaving as soon as he had just gotten back from school. It wasn't like he had much else to occupy himself anymore. Besides, the job they did needed to be done, and they insisted upon doing it themselves. And there was the whole 'they deserve to make the most out of their lives because they survived the apocalypse' thing they had going on. So in short, Dipper was perfectly content with watching the Shack while they went off to investigate/beat the living hell out of any monsters they could get their hands on. Mabel likely wouldn't either, as he was sure she already knew. Stan nodded, going back to his game, and Dipper noticed that Ford had switched up a few things while the other hadn't been looking. Wow. Had Ford been that much of a cheat last time Dipper had been in Oregon?

...To be honest, probably.

But at least they were getting along well after the whole Bill fiasco ten years ago. Ten years. Dipper could hardly believe it. All that time had gone by so quickly, and life seemed so... Quiet without the albeit evil, but somewhat amusing demonic triangle. Boring, in all honesty. Not that Dipper missed being terrorized. What did he look like, a masochist? Oof. Definitely not. He tossed the notepad and pen onto his nightstand, shedding his flannel as he entered his room. Yeah, his. He had emptied out a spare room in the attic to use as his own when he was... about sixteen, he thought. Around that time he'd gotten his first serious girlfriend, as he recalled. Needless to say, privacy had become somewhat of a necessity in his eyes. Like any teenage boy, of course. Although looking back, he kind of wished he hadn't moved out of his old room quite so soon, since his first serious girlfriend had been far from his last, and it seemed like a waste, in all honesty. All that time he could've spent doing non-regrettable things with his life.

But that didn't really matter anymore, did it? He sighed, sliding into his bed and attempting to get comfortable. He pulled the plain, navy blue blanket up to his chin and closed his eyes. But for some reason, he couldn't take his mind off of his predicament. What felt like hours passed, and Dipper groaned in annoyance. He sat up in his bed, rubbing his eyes. Why couldn't he just let it go until morning? Then again, Dipper Pines had never exactly been one to give up easily. He reached a hand over, turning his lamp on and softly illuminating the dim room. He glanced to the side, where his red stain glass window was. In the middle, an image of Bill made itself very apparent. Although he was no longer a threat, the window still made Dipper feel uneasy. It was almost like being watched constantly by the demon.

Which kiiiinda creeped Dipper out. He knew he was being ridiculous, of course. Bill was dead.

"Now I wouldn't say that, Pine Tree~" a voice cooed as the room began to fade into blacks and whites. Dipper's eyes snapped wide, and he looked around in a panicked sort of daze. Laughter erupted around the now grayscale room, echoing against Dipper's eardrums. A bright yellow triangle appeared directly in front of his face, too close for his comfort. "Man, it has been a while since I saw your sorry face. Look at you, all grown up now, eh?" the demon chirped, placing his hands against Dipper's cheeks and smushing them together. Dipper stared in disbelief, swatting his hands away. "W-what?! But we erased you!" he exclaimed, scooting away from the demon. Bill's single slitted eye narrowed in amusement, and he placed his hands on what Dipper could only assume he perceived to be hips. "Did you really think you could get rid of me and have your happy ending? That's adorable, kid! And besides, I've turned a new leaf. Yep! Swear on your life I have," he said merrily, circling around Dipper, who watched him warily.

Dipper snorted, choosing not to question his existence so much... Yet. "I'm flattered that my life means so much to you that you'd wager it and all, but why exactly should I care whether or not you've 'turned a new leaf'?" he hissed sarcastically, air quotes around the last few words.

Bill winked - or that's what Dipper presumed - and waggled a finger in front of the brunette's face. "I am so glad you asked!" he exclaimed. "Ya see, kid, it's been pretty boring since I'm not nearly as powerful as I used to be. Buuuuut... There is something I can do, and I'd like to try it out. The only problem is, I need permission to enter your realm. That's where you come in."

Dipper scoffed, raising an eyebrow. "And what makes you think I'll give you permission to enter this realm and cause trouble?" he inquired, leaning back when Bill put himself further in Dipper's personal space.

"Easy. I promise not to hurt anyone. Not a soul. Cross my heart, hope to die, and all that. Oh and hey, I'll even sweeten the deal for you. I'll work here at the Mystery Shack and help you out. In exchange, I get to live here and you - yes, you specifically; Shooting Star is too energetic for my liking - give me the full human experience. That means everything, Pines, and you'd better not hold out on me," he explained with a shrug, his eye beginning to glow a light blue. "It's not like I can do much harm anyway, since you and your family ridded me of most of my abilities."

Dipper scowled. That seemed... Surprisingly reasonable. Too reasonable, if you asked him. There had to be some sort of trick involved. "Whose body would you be using to stay in this dimension?" he asked suspiciously, refusing to allow a repeat of the last time Dipper had been naive enough to make a deal with Bill.

Bill chuckled, flipping his body upside down midair and tapping Dipper's nose obnoxiously. "Ooh, sharp, are we? That's simple. I use the little magic I have and conjure one up. Which begs the inevitable question - since I noticed how much you seem to enjoy asking questions nowadays - why I didn't just make my own body last time, or even the time before that? Well, you see, that uses a lot of energy, a lot of power. And it takes a while to 'recharge', per se. But it isn't like I have much power now anyway, and I have just been craving something interesting." he cooed, turning to be right side up yet again.

Dipper considered his options. Bill was making this a relatively loop hole free deal, but that didn't mean Dipper trusted him in the least. That and he simply didn't want to have to be the one to show him how to be human. He had other things to do with his time, like get to work on that book he needed to write. But he was completely out of ideas. Unless... he had a little help. Bill would make an interesting character, whether he was a protagonist or not. On a surface level he was likeable, and Dipper was sure he'd had enough encounters with the demon to be able to write him perfectly. Plus, there were so many things Dipper could do with this, so many possibilities, both for the story and Dipper's research, which he did in his spare time. Maybe this could actually benefit him in some way.

"Hey, smart guy. You done yet? Your thoughts are really loud," Bill commented, rolling his single eye.

Dipper chose to ignore his snarkiness. "Alright. But I want to use you in a book I've been thinking about. You give me permission to use your likeness or whatever, and I'll give you permission to inhabit this realm. Under the condition that you don't hurt anyone or anything in the meantime. Also, you'd better actually do your part and work at the Shack, or I'll ask Mabel to give you your stupid 'human experience', got it?" he said, watching Bill with interest.

Bill simply waved a hand, closing his eye. "Whatever floats you boat, kid. Just don't use my real name and we've got a deal," he replied, holding out a hand, which was quickly engulfed in azure flames. Dipper hesitated, thinking over his decision one more time before taking Bill's hand and giving it a shake. Bill laughed, pulling his hand away and letting the fire fizzle out. He seemed about ready to go when a realization crashed into Dipper.

"Wait. We put a barrier around the Shack. You shouldn't be able to enter it, so how are you here?" he inquired, somewhat fearful of the answer.

Bill just shrugged. "Goats will eat anything, Pine Tree."

"...You possessed the goat and made it eat the unicorn hair, didn't you?"

"What is this, twenty questions? Yeesh."

The both of them were silent for a few moments, just staring one another down. That is, until:

"Also, yes. Yes I did."

And that's when color faded back into the world.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"DIPPER PINES, GET DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW!" Mabel shrieked from downstairs. Dipper shot up in his bed, eyes wide and chest heaving. She sounded furious. What had he...

 _Shit._

Dipper jumped up, darting down the stairs to confirm his suspicions. Mabel was standing at the bottom next to a blonde man, who was grinning deviously at Dipper. He had to stop and stare at the stranger for a few moments. His hair was slightly tousled on his head, and fell not so neatly over what appeared to be a closed eye on his forehead. He was wearing a cerulean sweater over a neon yellow button up and a black bowtie. He was also wearing a pair of faded skinny jeans. All and all, Dipper found his style somewhat strange, but it definitely fit once he came to recognize the man in front of him to be Bill.

He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing really seemed to come out right. Bill scoffed, amused. Dipper shook his head, turning his gaze towards Mabel. "I-I can explain everything! I swear!" he exclaimed, sounding just a little more desperate than he would have liked.

Mabel raised an eyebrow. "You'd better," she said, and Dipper blinked in confusion. She sounded... Giddy. "I want to know all the details! Is he a friend from your dorm? Oh my gosh, is he more than a friend from your dorm! Are you scoring with... with..." Mabel turned to face Bill, slightly embarrassed, it seemed. Not nearly as embarrassed as Dipper, though. He was sure of that. "I'm sorry. I never caught your name."

He glanced over at Dipper for a moment, grinning. "Bill Cipher," he replied truthfully, pocketing his hands. Mabel's grin faded.

There was a long silence. Dipper fidgeted uncomfortably, eyes anywhere but on Mabel. "Wait... Really?" she questioned, taken aback.

Bill laughed. "The one and only, Shooting Star," he cooed, raising an eyebrow at her.

Dipper had been about to intervene; about to calm her down. Surely his sister was going to stab him for making a deal with the very demon that had tormented them as kids. But what happened instead was much more... awkward. Mabel whistled. "Triangulum hot dangulum!" she exclaimed, pressing her hands against his cheeks and tilting his head, seemingly to examine him from every angle she could. "You look damn good! Where did you get this body?" she went on to ask, lifting up his bangs to get a good look at the eye on his forehead, which remained closed.

Bill's other two eyes glowed red in annoyance at her prodding, and he glanced at Dipper. "I made it," he said curtly, grinning once again as soon as he managed to pry her hands off of him. "Pine Tree here made a deal with me; he's going to show me how to be human in exchange for a few small favors."

Mabel turned towards Dipper with a sunny expression. "Perfect! We needed an extra set of hands around here," she said cheerfully, clapping her own together.

Dipper furrowed his eyebrows. "You aren't mad?" he asked in shock, not too positive Bill hadn't screwed with her mind or something.

Mabel waved a hand. "I'm more confused why he's even alive, but I guess it doesn't matter. And I don't think we have to really be afraid of him in this state. Plus, I'm not the one you have to be scared of. Grunkle Stan and grunkle Ford probably aren't going to be very happy once they get back from their little monster hunt," she explained with a shrug and a slightly anxious expression. "But I'm sure you'll figure something something out, broseph. Alsooo... There aren't any spare rooms in the house. What's your plan there, genius?"

Dipper let that information sink in, his jaw hanging open. How hadn't he thought of that?! "No..." he said, eyes wide with realization.

Bill burst into fits of laughter, a hand against his forehead. "Oh. My. God. This is perfect! This just keeps getting better and better!"

Dipper glared. "You're sleeping on the floor," he hissed, eyes narrowed.

Mabel smacked the back of his head, and he opened his mouth to speak when she shushed him. "No he absolutely will not. You got yourself into this, bro. Bill is your responsibility, and you can't just neglect your responsibilities. You can buy him a bed if you really don't have it in you to suck it up and share," she said, crossing her arms.

Dipper sighed, pressing the heels of his hands against his eyes. Was everyone against him? How had he forgotten about that? Even worse, he had forgotten about his uncles when he'd made his decision. Mabel rested a hand on his shoulder. "Bro. Bro. Quit stressing it. It's fine. Now, I'm gonna go open up shop. You should just get dressed so you can show Bill the ropes," she said simply, turning and heading towards the gift shop. "Good luck, Dip!"

Dipper was sure he would need it. He sighed loudly, throwing up his arms and grumbling as he made his way upstairs. Bill followed directly behind him, silent. Although, Dipper could feel his piercing golden eyes watching his every move as he ascended the staircase. "I'm kinda surprised you gave yourself two eyes," Dipper pointed out, trying to be as casual and polite as possible.

Bill chuckled. "I quite like being able to perceive depth, Pine Tree. Two eyes are necessary for you humans to do that," he responded condescendingly. Dipper huffed, stepping into his room. He rifled through his drawers for a bit, searching for an outfit he wouldn't burn up in whenever he went outdoors. He pulled out a plain tee and a navy blue vest, almost identical to the one he'd worn all summer as a kid. Bill snorted, sitting down on his bed. "I see your fashion sense hasn't changed at all since I last saw you," he pointed out, watching Dipper pull his shirt off. He glared at the demon, who grinned ear to ear as Dipper threw the shirt at him. He laughed, tilting his head to the side and avoiding the projectile by only a hair.

Muttering to himself, Dipper shoved his head and arms into the clean shirt. "So you wanted to try being human because you were bored in the Mindscape... But you hate humans. Mind if I ask why you suddenly want this 'experience' in the first place?" he asked, putting the vest on. He turned away from Bill to open up another drawer and sift through it for a pair of jeans. Bill was silent for a couple seconds. That is, until Dipper felt hands against his stomach and the body of the very same blonde demon against his back. His eyes widened, and he winced against the foreign contact.

Bill leaned into his ear, so close that Dipper could feel the smirk on his skin. "I think you shouldn't worry so much about things like that," he purred, fingers trailing lightly over the fabric of Dipper's shirt. Dipper creased his eyebrows together, jaw clenched. "Get away from me," he growled, trying to hide the slight fear in his voice. Bill may not be the most powerful creature in existence anymore - maybe not even the most powerful creature in Gravity Falls anymore - but he could certainly kill Dipper whenever he wanted to. The mere thought made the brunette shudder, and Bill must have felt it, because he chuckled.

"Relax, kid. The deal was that I couldn't hurt anyone, remember?" he said, as if Dipper's paranoia was an insult to him. Dipper screwed his eyes shut, giving a slight nod. Bill pushed himself away from the panicking brunette with a frown. Dipper sighed in relief, letting out the air he hadn't known he'd been holding in. "Do I really freak you out that much?" the demon questioned, clearly offended by the notion that Dipper was indeed, horrified of him.

Dipper spun around to face him, much calmer now that his heartbeat had returned to its natural rate. "Forgive me if I'm not exactly at ease around someone that tried to kill me, and my whole family, for that matter," he responded angrily, eyes narrowed. Bill was silent, just staring at him in what seemed halfway between outrage and something else Dipper didn't quite recognize. And for some strange reason, he felt bad for saying what he had. Why, though? There was no reason for him to feel that way, and even less for him to want to apologize. Yet, he did, and it was terribly confusing to him. His sense of morality was getting the best of him, he thought. That had to be it.

Bill turned away, making his way out of Dipper's room. He didn't even close the door as he left, and Dipper watched him go, completely puzzled. What had he even done?! Whatever. He can pout all he wants, Dipper thought crossly to himself, pulling a pair of jeans out of his dresser. He quickly changed into them and combed his hair into place with his fingers. Bill could wait if he really wanted to act like that. There was no reason to get offended. Dipper had only told the truth. Why should he step around Bill's feelings anyway? What were they, some old married couple?

Dipper groaned, stomping down the stairs. So far that morning nothing had gone very well. He entered the gift shop with a sour expression to see Mabel at the counter talking to a customer. Bill was in the corner, eyeing all the phony products and attractions. A little girl walked up to him. She had to be no older than five, based on her height and the way she sucked on the tip of her thumb. The young girl pointed up at him, and he looked down at her. "What's that on your head?" she asked curiously, tilting her head to the side. Dipper felt the immediate urge to herd the child away from Bill, but something happened that left Dipper reeling instead.

Bill crouched down to be at the same level as the girl. "It's an eye," he said, lifting up his bangs. Dipper took a step forward to stop him from saying anymore, but he was too slow. "A maaagical wizard gave it to me. He was so impressed because I was the first person to beat him in a game of space chess! And guess what it can do? Think of a number, any number at all," Bill offered, waving his hands dramatically, punctuating his oh so realistic story with various gestures.

The little girl seemed so deep in thought for a good ten seconds that it appeared as though she had gone completely blank. "Okay!" she exclaimed, jumping up and down enthusiastically. "I thought of one!"

Bill smirked, and the third eye on his head began to glow a soft blue. It opened to reveal a slitted black pupil identical to the ones Dipper's eyes had had when Bill was controlling his body, and the little girl gasped. "Four," Bill said triumphantly, revealing his unusually pointed canines through the lopsided grin on his face.

"Woah! That's so cool!" the little girl yelled, getting in his personal space probably a little more than he was comfortable with. But if it bothered him at all, it didn't show. Dipper blinked in absolute shock. Bill didn't exactly strike Dipper as the type to be good with kids, and even less as the type to humor them like that. Dipper had expected the girl to run away from him crying, in all honesty.

But that's obviously not what happened. A woman walked up behind the girl, and Bill stood up to face her, the eye on his head still aglow. She stared at it in awe for a few seconds before the girl, whom was assumed to be her daughter, grabbed onto her pant leg. "Mommy! I want a picture with the magic-y guy! Pleeaaase? Moooom!" the child wailed pleadingly, and Bill laughed.

He glanced over at Dipper, raised an eyebrow, and looked back at the woman. "Got a camera? Five... Ten bucks a picture," he replied, and the woman nodded, pulling a ten dollar bill out of her purse. She handed it to him, took a photo or two, and thanked him politely before moving on to the next attraction. Bill spun on his heels to face Dipper and strode confidently towards him. He grabbed the brunette's wrist, holding out his hand and placing the money on his palm. "Doubter," he said simply, a hand on his hip. The eye closed, and Bill pushed his bangs back over it.

Dipper was at a loss for words to say. "I... But you... Wow," he stammered, closing his fingers over the money. He pocketed it, staring at the demon in complete awe.

Bill's smile faded away. "Still think I'm gonna hurt anyone?" he questioned somewhat bitterly, crossing his arms.

Dipper ran a hand through his hair in exasperation. "I don't think it's unreasonable for me to assume things, Bill," he breathed, closing his eyes. When he opened them again, Bill still seemed angry. Dipper rolled his eyes. "But... If you keep this up then I'll start to trust you, alright? And we'll move on from there." The blonde tilted his head from side to side for a moment, pondering the thought.

"Fine."

Dipper sighed. "Good, because we're going somewhere, and I don't need a pouty demon in the passenger seat," he said, making his way to the counter.

Bill followed behind him. "Where are we going" he asked with interest, seemingly dropping the past subject.

Dipper leaned on the counter, facing Mabel. He ignored the blonde behind him, which seemed to get on Bill's nerves, but he still said nothing. "I'm taking Bill to the grocery store to pick up a couple things. Anything in particular you need?" he asked with a smile, but Mabel waved him off. She reached a hand down under the counter, rifling around for something.

"Nah, I'm fine," she responded, pulling Dipper's hat out from beneath the counter. She placed it on top of his head, beaming merrily. "You left that downstairs last night. Anyway, I'll be seeing ya later, broseph." Dipper nodded, thanking her and leading Bill outside.

"Can I drive?" Bill asked, a giddy expression on his face. Dipper simply raised an eyebrow, pulling his keys out of his pocket.

He unlocked the door. "Ask me that again when hell freezes over," he retorted, opening his door and getting inside.

Bill did the same, grumbling to himself. "It's all a part of the human experience, Pine Tree," he replied, buckling his seatbelt. He smirked. "Anyway, there actually is a town in Norway named Hell. And it freezes over every winter."

Dipper rolled his eyes. "Then I'll teach you in December, when that happens," he replied, turning the ignition on.

Bill seemed satisfied with that, and didn't talk the whole way to the store. Dipper was somewhat grateful for this and didn't attempt to make any conversation until they were inside. "So that eye of yours..." he started, leading Bill wherever they needed to go. "What exactly is it for?" He glanced at the demon, who seemed to be staring at everything like a kid in a toy store.

Bill looked over at him as well, and mischievous golden eyes met curious veridian ones. "Have you always been this nosy, kid? I feel like you used to be more the figure it out on your own type," he replied teasingly, picking up a bottle and examining it. "Hey, this is alcohol, isn't it? You humans go nuts for this stuff. You're twenty-two now, right?"

Dipper narrowed his eyes. "Mabel and I will be turning twenty-three in a couple months. And we aren't exactly drinkers. Mabel gets too crazy and it just isn't really my thing," he explained, and Bill frowned like a little kid that just got told no for the first time. Dipper smirked. "But I'll buy it if you answer my question."

Bill chuckled. "Crafty, kid; I like it. Okay, I'll bite. All of my magic is stored up there," Bill said, pointing up at the eye on his head. "It would usually only open if I'm using a powerful ability. But since I don't really have those anymore, it's actually only good for reading minds, glowing, and sniffing out gold. I don't need to open it for any of those things though. What happened earlier was all for show."

Dipper hummed, eyes scanning the shelves as he walked. "Now, since I'm curious, tell me how you somehow managed to escape being erased," he added, brow raised.

There was a long silence before Bill finally responded. "Existence lives on in memory, kid," he responded vaguely, and didn't particularly care to go on. That seemed to be all he would say at the moment, which was frustrating, but Dipper could live with that. It was a step, at least.

Dipper huffed, taking the bottle from Bill's hands and placing it in the cart. "Sooo... Gold, huh?" he asked in an effort to relieve the tension, leading the demon down the aisles. Bill chuckled, explaining that power to him as they grabbed anything they needed, and any other miscellaneous items Bill insisted upon in exchange for various bits of information. It was a pleasant trip, if Dipper was being totally honest. Bill was still the same old cynical jerk, but at least he was a cynical jerk with a minimal amount of chaotic motives. So that made things a little bit easier for Dipper to relax around him. Still, he couldn't shake this thought in the back of his head. It made no sense to him. Why had Bill decided to do this in the first place? It seemed to be the one and only thing Dipper couldn't pry from the demon, and it scared him a bit. There had to be a reason beyond what Dipper had been informed, and it was quickly becoming his mission to find out what it was.

He turned the car back on, watching as Bill buckled his belt yet again to go home. "I'm going to find out whatever it is you're hiding from me," Dipper said simply, backing out of his parking space.

"Oof. That's a long list, kid. What do ya wanna know? Government secrets, scandals, what your sister does when you're not around? Man, if you thought she was boy crazy as a kid then I got news for you!" he said, grinning manically.

Dipper wrinkled his nose. "Dude, gross. And you know exactly what I'm talking about," he remarked, eyes narrowed at the road.

Bill hummed, running his fingers through his hair and briefly revealing the eye on his forehead. "I don't think I do," he said simply, taking on a firm tone of voice. Dipper suspected that meant no amount of prodding was going to convince the demon to spill his secrets. But that had to change eventually. He was sure of it. Dipper was a stubborn man, and he'd do whatever it took to find out whatever it was Bill wasn't telling him. But he'd save that for later. They were approaching the Mystery Shack. He pulled up and stopped the car. Sighing, he turned the ignition off and got out. Bill followed behind, opening the door to grab some of the bags.

Well, he may be secretive. But at least he was keeping his word about pulling his weight.

Dipper grabbed quite a few bags, making his way to the door. That is, until Bill started laughing uncontrollably. Dipper spun around to face him somewhat warily. But Bill just seemed to be having the time of his life. It took him a while to actually calm his obnoxious cackling. And when he did, he just stared at Dipper with amusement, his eyes slightly squinting and his grin just a tad larger than usual. "Guess what we didn't do, Pine Tree?" he asked with clear sarcasm, snorting from the effort it took not to start laughing again.

Dipper quirked an eyebrow. "What?" he asked, annoyance evident in his voice. What could possibly be that funny?

Bill just sneered. "We never went looking for a bed," he retorted, stepping past Dipper and not even waiting to see the look on his face.

It really wasn't Dipper's day, was it?


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Waking up was... Eventful. Yeah, Dipper supposed that was the correct word to use. He awoke to a certain warmth that he was unused to. And honestly, it was pleasant. But as soon as Dipper realized the warmth was coming off of the demon in his bed, who had latched onto him during the night, the novelty kind of wore thin. His arms were wound tightly around Dipper and their legs were entangled with one another. "Bill, what the hell were you doing in your sleep?" he huffed, shoving the blonde some. Bill furrowed his eyebrows, but didn't actually open his eyes.

"I'll have you know that I did this fully conscious and for the simple reason that I felt like it," he grumbled, pulling himself away. "Bill Cipher doesn't make mistakes, kid."

Dipper rolled his eyes, sitting up in his bed. "And you had the urge to do that why?" he asked, running his fingers through his bangs.

Bill stood up. "Did it get under your skin?" he questioned in response, stretching out his arms and popping his back.

"Yeah," Dipper muttered, watching the demon stride towards his dresser.

Bill opened it up, glancing back at Dipper with a toothy grin. "Then I guess that's why." He opened up the top drawer and looked through it.

Dipper narrowed his eyes in annoyance, and sprang up to stop the demon from doing whatever it was he was doing. "What now?" he hissed, shoving the drawer closed.

Bill cocked an eyebrow. "I don't have any other clothes, kid. What, you expect me to wear the same thing everyday?" he replied bitterly.

Dipper pushed him away from his dresser, opening it up himself to rifle through it. "No. I assumed you'd conjure something up. You can do that, right?" It was barely even a question.

Bill scoffed, as if the answer was obvious. "Of course I can. But I've already depleted way too much of my magic supply making this body. It'll take a while before I can do much else," he said, holding out a hand for Dipper to give him something to wear.

The brunette just eyed him for a moment. Bill stared back, unblinking, his lips pursed together in a thin line. Dipper sighed. "Fine. I guess I'll dig into our savings a little bit to buy you some clothes later..." he muttered, pulling a t-shirt and a pair of black jeans out of his drawer and shoving them in Bill's hands. The demon wrinkled his nose. Dipper rolled his eyes. "What?"

Bill shook his head, sitting the clothes down on the bed to unbutton his shirt. "These really aren't my style," he said, putting the shirt on. Dipper huffed, tossing a black and white flannel at the blonde. Bill caught it, studied it a few moments, then shrugged. "That's a little better, I suppose. But I think I'm going to ask Shooting Star to take me somewhere for clothes," he said blandly, putting the jeans on, then shoving his arms into the sleeves of the flannel. Dipper would have liked to say something about how he was supposed to be the one giving Bill his human experience, but decided against it. Bill would find some way to use that against him. He might as well just enjoy his time alone for a day.

Maybe he'd get started on that book of his.

Mabel burst through the door, grinning wildly. She had quite a few bags in her hands, and Bill had even more when he walked in behind her. Dipper looked up from his laptop to stare at them, jaw hung open slightly. "How much money did you waste on those?!" he demanded, eyes wide. Bill just chuckled, and Mabel shook her head.

She dropped the bags and made an O with her fingers. "Not a penny! Bill took care of it all!" she said excitedly, practically jumping up and down.

Dipper had a skeptical expression on his face. "How?" he questioned, quirking an eyebrow suspiciously.

Bill grinned, dropping his own bags to place his hands on his hips. "Gold, kid. And lots of it, too. I know a thing or two about human currency, and gold just happens to be one of the only things valuable everywhere," he explained, gesturing his hands as he spoke. "Oh! And since I'm a particularly nice guy-" Dipper snorted, and Bill glared for a moment before continuing. "I decided to get you and your sister something. Especially you, Pine Tree." Dipper groaned. He didn't need any other clothes. And he didn't want them if they were anything like Bill's. Some people could pull that look off. And surprise surprise, Dipper was not one of them.

Bill's hand was engulfed in blue flame, and he snapped his fingers. One of the bags began to glow, and a small cylindrical object floated upwards. Bill flicked his wrist towards Dipper, and the object made its way lazily towards him. He reached out a hand, letting whatever it was drop into his palm. He blinked. A glasses case? "H-how'd you know I needed a pair?" he questioned, awestruck. "And how do you even know if this is the right prescription?"

Bill rolled his eyes good-naturedly, moving his hand, which was still blazing a soft blue. The case opened up in Dipper's palm to reveal a pair of black glasses. They were half-circles at the bottom and flat on the top. Metal framed the rounded glass, and the top was bare. They were simple, and Dipper liked that about them. He took them into his hands gingerly, unfolding them and putting them on. He noticed the difference immediately, and he whistled. Bill chuckled. "You kept squinting when you tried to read last night. I couldn't just let you go blind, ya know? Humans are already useless enough," he said, snapping his fingers again. Dipper frowned, but said nothing as a pair of bedazzled headphones floated upwards and into Mabel's hands. There was half a star sticking out of one side, and it appeared as though it was literally shooting from one end to the other.

Mabel stared at them with a huge smile on her face. Bill laughed. "So you can listen to your synthesized music without destroying my eardrums," he said, ruffling her hair playfully. Mabel shrieked, putting them on and tracing over them with a hand. "These are awesome! How'd you buy them without me seeing? No, wait, nevermind. I don't care! I want it to be a mystery," she cheered, tucking the end of the headphone wire into a pocket sewn onto her sweater. She darted towards Bill and threw her arms around his torso. He stumbled backwards in shock, eyes wide. He obviously wasn't expecting that, and he really had no idea how to respond to it, either. "Thank you so much! I'll take super good care of them!" she squealed, looking like she was beginning to suffocate the demon. He placed a hand on her shoulder, sucking in a breath.

"Th-that's great, Shooting Star, but..." he coughed. "I kiiinda need oxygen in this form." Mabel let go, giggling to herself. Bill gasped for air, pressing his hands against his knees. Mabel mumbled apologetically, and he waved a hand dismissively. "No sweat. Boy, you're stronger than you look." She smiled, nodding.

Then she turned towards Dipper. "You don't mind if I invite Pacifica over to hang out, right? We could all watch dumb scary movies or play games. It'll be fun!" she exclaimed, waving her hands enthusiastically. Dipper laughed, giving a nod as he stood up to take some of the bags. That was all Mabel needed, and ran off to go call Pacifica. Bill laughed at her enthusiasm, leaning down and picking up the rest of the bags. The two carried them upstairs, which wasn't terribly fun. What had Bill bought? Blocks of cement? Knowing him... That was a possibility.

Dipper dropped them as soon as he was in his own room, leaning back and letting his limbs pop. He shook his hands out. "Geez. How much did you buy?" he asked, watching Bill drop his own handfuls. Curious, the blonde eyed the thick red lines the handles of the bags had left on his palms. He balled them into fists, then stretched them back out.

"Interesting..." he muttered to himself, then turned towards Dipper with a shrug. "I bought enough. I didn't want to have to do that again for a while, and I doubt I will. So it's fine."

Dipper nodded, then realized the glasses on the bridge of his nose were sliding down. He reached up and adjusted them. "And uh... That was cool, you getting these for me," he said, eyes darting to the side.

Bill snorted, turning the other way to open up Dipper's mostly empty closet. "Whatever you say, kid. I just don't need a blind human showing me around," the demon retorted, snapping his fingers. The bags emptied and the closet filled with clothes, which all hung neatly above some boxes Dipper stored inside. Bill leaned against the frame unsteadily, then fell back. Eyes wide, Dipper darted forward to keep him on his feet. But Bill was almost completely unconscious, and didn't do much to help. They both stumbled, and Dipper was barely able to keep Bill from getting injured as they both hit the floor.

"Bill! What's wrong?!" Dipper asked frantically, leaning over Bill's shoulder and pressing a hand against his forehead. The blonde winced at the slight touch, his teeth grit. Bill shook his head, but Dipper could see it in his eyes. Literally, actually. His eyes had faded to gray, and their glow had died down to a light glimmer. He let his head roll back with a groan, and both of them ignored the fact that he was slumped against Dipper's chest. There were far more important things to worry about.

Bill brought a hand up to rub at one of his temples. "Too much magic usage..." he muttered, his voice slightly strained. "I guess I shouldn't waste it so much." He clenched one of his hands into a fist in frustration.

Dipper blinked in confusion, silent for a few moments. He noticed that Bill's knuckles had begun to turn white, and out of a strange sense of empathy, he placed his hand over the demon's. He coaxed Bill to ease up, and after a couple seconds, felt the blonde slowly begin to unwind. He opened up his hand, and Dipper let it go. "You're magic isn't actually recharging, is it? You're losing it," he said quietly, glancing to the side.

Bill closed his eyes for what felt like an eternity, and when he opened them again, their usual golden color had returned. "Sorry to inform you, kid, but that's classified," he responded, standing up. He seemed hesitant to be helpful, but chose to hold his hand out for Dipper to take. Which he did gratefully, although somewhat frustratedly. The most important things were also the things Bill was keeping secret from him! He grimaced. "I want to revise our deal," he hissed, eyes narrowed.

Bill's expression remained blank. "It's not up for revision," he replied.

Dipper watched the color in his eyes disappear for a split second before returning, and Bill staggered a bit until he caught himself. "Fine then," he said, ignoring the demon's plight. "Then I want to add something onto it."

Bill tilted his head to the side in consideration. He lifted his now glowing eyes up to look into Dipper's own. "Alright. Try me."

Dipper tried not to let his excitement show. "You have to answer all of my questions. Honestly, I might add," he conditioned, turning to sit down on his bed.

Bill scoffed. "And what do I get in return?" he questioned, crossing his arms over his chest.

Dipper simply shrugged. "What do you want?" Maybe that wasn't the correct thing to say, but it couldn't be that bad.

Bill frowned slightly, eyes seemingly looking through Dipper. "I want to see into your dreamscape at night," he replied, dead serious. Dipper found that strange. Bill shouldn't have been using much magic, right?

"Why...?" Dipper inquired curiously, bright green eyes full of interest.

Bill rubbed his chin, furrowing his brow. "You were having a nightmare last night..." he said, a far away look on his face. "And I didn't cause it, nor could I access it when I tried to take a look. Things like this don't happen, and I knew something had to be up. After a lot of trying I somehow managed to push the dream away, but it used up a lot of my magic. Still. I wanna find the source of it."

Dipper blinked. "That's why you latched onto me last night?" he asked, puzzled. He couldn't recall the dream he'd had the night before. But it must not have lasted too long because Dipper was such a light sleeper that the slightest little thing would have woken him. He had developed some pretty severe insomnia after the incident of being turned into a living sock puppet as a child. But for some reason, Dipper had slept pretty well the night before, even despite what Bill had told him.

Bill nodded, a hand on his hip. "That's why," he said, holding out a hand. "So. Do we have a deal?"

Dipper was hesitant. But at the same time, there didn't seem to be much that Bill could use against him here. Honestly, if seemed more like the demon was inadvertently looking out for him. Even if it was for his own gain or simply out of curiosity, Bill wanted to help Dipper out. He outstretched his hand. How bad could it be for him to let the blonde keep an eye on his dreams? Dipper took his hand, which glowed a bright cerulean hue. The flames were relatively weak, however, and Dipper knew then that Bill was slowly losing his ability to use them at all. But he wouldn't say anything. He'd wait and keep a close eye on Bill until he knew for certain the demon's motives didn't involve getting them all back. And of course, probably attempting to merge this dimension with the Nightmare Realm again.

That would be pretty inconvenient, now wouldn't it?

Bill grinned, and the flames fizzled away. He let go of Dipper's hand and grinned. "Pleasure doing business with ya, kid. Now, I told your sister I'd help her out downstairs, and I suppose that's what I gotta do now, huh?" he said, shrugging. Dipper watched him stride towards the door with a blank expression, still searching their deal for anything that could have been used against him. Bill stopped in the doorway, and Dipper snapped back to reality. Bill turned his head back, smirking deviously at the brunette. Dipper furrowed his brow. "By the way, Pine Tree; those glasses look pretty damn good on you." And then he pocketed his hands, making his way back down the stairs without another word. Dipper blinked, feeling the tips of his ears beginning to burn. He pulled the specs off of his face, looking away from the demon, whom he could hear laughing as he left the poor boy standing there in awkward silence.

"Fucking triangle," Dipper grumbled aloud to himself, following in Bill's footsteps. He stepped into the gift shop to see Mabel at the counter and Bill leading a couple of tourists around and sharing his theatrics with them. Bill grinned at them, his pointed teeth flashing menacingly. Or endearingly, depending on your view and knowledge of the demon. Boy, if they only knew. Dipper scowled, finding the mere thought dangerous. He shook his head, stepping towards Mabel, who was unoccupied at the moment. He slid the glasses into the pocket of his flannel, not really sure if he even wanted to wear them anymore. Not after what happened upstairs. Seriously. What the actual hell?

Mabel waved a hand in front of his face. "Bro. You alright?" she asked curiously, smiling in her usual friendly manner.

Dipper opened his mouth to respond, but Candy bursting up from beneath the counter sent him reeling. He stepped back, not quite expecting that. "Boo! Ha! Candy surprise!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms up into the air triumphantly. "Hello, Dipper~"

Dipper scoffed, giving her a slight wave. "Hey, Candy," he replied in a cheerful manner, noting the fact that she was wearing the 'Next time!' sweater Mabel had made her. "Did Mabel invite you over, too?" he asked with a polite smile, but the short bespectacled girl shook her head.

"Oh, no. I just decided to pay you two a visit. It's been a while since we saw each other, Dipper. You look... different," she commented with a friendly smile. Too friendly for Dipper's liking. Hadn't they already gone through this once? "How was college?"

Dipper remembered that Candy hadn't gone to college. She had stayed in Gravity Falls after high school and tried her luck with writing. And apparently she was pretty damn good at it too. According to Mabel, she'd published two books and was in the middle of another. Maybe Dipper would ask her about her work sometime. "Exhausting. I feel much better now that it's over. Honestly, I think you had the right idea," he responded, moving away from the counter so an approaching customer could pay for her souvenirs.

Candy giggled, waving a hand dismissively. "I think I just got lucky," she cooed, placing a hand on Dipper's arm. Her face was slightly red, and her smile was just a bit too polite for Dipper's comfort. "I'm sure you'll do wonderful things with the experience you gained from studying so much." Her hand lingered a little longer than necessary before she removed it to adjust her glasses.

Dipper wanted to say something about that. He wanted to say he wasn't really interested. But when it came to girls, he supposed he'd always be somewhat of a coward. "Heh, thanks, Candy. I hope so," he said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. He really needed help. From anyone. Even-

An arm slid over his shoulders. Dipper grimaced. _It had to be you, didn't it?_

Bill laughed, clearly reading his mind. "Heya, Pine Tree. Who's the friend?" he asked, already knowing the answer. _You should be thanking me, kid. I was picking up your distress signals all the way in the other room_ , he thought sarcastically, words echoing in Dipper's mind.

Dipper coughed into hand. "Uh, this is-"

But Candy's eyes had glazed over, a blank, starstruck expression on her face. "Candy Chiu. And you are?" she greeted, holding out a hand.

Bill grinned, wrapping his fingers around her palm and giving it a shake. "Name's Bill Cipher. I'm an..." He tapped his chin with a finger. "acquaintance of Pine Tree's here." He winked at Candy and she nodded slowly, eyes darting between the two of them.

Dipper jabbed his elbow into the blonde's rib cage. "Bill..." he hissed below his breath, but the demon heard him just fine. _What are you trying to do, make it sound like we're fucking or something?!_ he questioned in his head, and Bill glanced over at the brunette. Golden eyes met green ones for a split second before both of them looked back at Candy, who had an amused and knowing look on her face. Dipper wasn't sure which was worse, her flirting with him or her acting as if she knew something she wasn't supposed to.

Bill's response rang clearly in Dipper's mind. _That's exactly what I'm doing. But it's working, isn't it?_ He beamed brightly at Candy, who looked like she was on cloud nine. "Oh. Oh! Dipper, I never would've guessed your taste was so... so..." She seemed unable to finish, but the whistle she proceeded with was enough for both of them to get the hint. Bill snorted, his face red with the laughter he was very feebly attempting to hold back. But Dipper's face was red for a whole different reason, and he turned away from his sister's friend to walk away, shrugging Bill's arm off his shoulders and burying his blush into his hands.

He was sure things couldn't get any worse.

"I guess I said the wrong thing," Candy said in slight embarrassment, but Dipper didn't look back to respond. Bill had already beaten him to it anyway.

"Oh, don't worry about it," the demon purred, tone smooth. "He's cute when he blushes." There was an inflection on 'cute' that Dipper knew was mocking. But Candy was oblivious to it, and squealed excitedly at Bill's words.

Dipper was really starting to think that things could always get worse.

He stormed into the attraction hall to swindle some customers out of their money. And more importantly, get his mind off the way his heart hadn't stopped pounding since Bill's arm had wrapped around his shoulders.

That was nothing, he was positive.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Walking through Gravity Falls at night was always very strange. There were a few streetlights keeping the road somewhat lit. Many were dim. A couple were busted, flickering uselessly. No cars passed through town. No voices could be heard. And no one was even awake at that time of night, so the unusual creatures that inhabited the town were always free to scurry about peacefully. Very rarely did any of them actually pay Dipper any mind whenever he took walks through town at night. Most of them were rather familiar with him by then anyway. But this time in particular... This time was different.

This time, the creatures were just as silent as the townsfolk. Not so much as a one passed by him or caught his eye. And even stranger, Dipper felt the presence of another person beside him, moving in time with him. Yet he couldn't even turn his head to see who it was. The realization that he was dreaming quickly hit him, and he narrowed his eyes straight ahead. Was this what Bill had told him about? He stopped, although he hadn't willed his body to do so. It simply... did.

He felt a hand slide into his palm, and he stiffened. Whoever this was, they were cold. Very cold. And their fingernails were long, sharp against his skin. He furrowed his brow. It felt almost as if the person next to him was attempting to be romantic, in their own twisted way. "Listen," a female voice whispered, as if mimicking the soothing tone of a mother, hand trailing up his arm and digging her fingernails deep into his flesh. Dipper grit his teeth at the sensation. He could feel the warmth of his own blood welling up and spilling from the thin cuts her nails were leaving behind them. But he did as he'd been told, though it wasn't like he had a choice in the matter.

He really wished he could have said no, however, because what he heard was sickening. It started out low, quiet, barely a whisper. The sound of something almost like a whistle touched his ears. Then there was a crack and a whir that made him shudder. And soon, the sounds got louder, and Dipper was sure he heard people far away screaming in terror. He had no idea why or what was happening. They had erupted out of nowhere, it felt like. But what was happening quickly hit him. He was still unable to look back, but he could see red and orange being reflected off a nearby stop sign and the windows and doors of nearby houses. He could feel the heat radiating off of the rising flames behind him.

The screaming became louder and louder, gradually reaching so close to him that it was nearly deafening, shrill caterwauling that he so wished he could somehow block out. The hand, which had trailed all the way up his arm, clamped down on his shoulder. "Listen to all the suffering you've brought about. You had no idea what a stain upon this earth you are, did you?" the woman beside him inquired in that same tone, like she truly believed her words brought him comfort. Her voice was different now, though. It was hollow, as if she were speaking through a metal tube.

Dipper swallowed hard. This wasn't his fault. This was a dream. He closed his eyes, willing himself to wake up. Yet the screams of the innocent remained. And the sting of the flames crawling ever nearer remained as well. Claws dug into his shoulder where the woman's hand was. "Answer me!" she screeched, voice echoing above the chaos.

Dipper flinched, instinctively bringing up his hands to cover his ears. When he found that he could, he shook his head, jaw clenched. "No! I didn't do any of this!" he screamed over the noise, but unlike the woman beside him, his cry was lost among the wailing of the people behind him. He hunched over, trying to block out the horrid sounds, but they only got louder the more he did so. "Make it stop!" he pleaded, his eyes screwed shut. He could feel the flames licking at his heels, but barely noticed it through his terror. And then-

"Dipper!" That scream stood out. He could never forget that voice, the voice of the person he'd never stop protecting.

He spun on his heels to face the scene behind him. "Mabel!" he called, eyes frantically searching the wreckage. The scent of burning flesh and wood had intensified, and he may have vomited had he not been focused on something else. Something far more important. Mabel's voice rang out once more, this time less a cry for help and more so a cry of excruciating pain. Dipper winced, his eyes burning, both with welling tears and from the smoke now swirling around his body. "Mabel! Answer me! Please!" he was begging, his voice cracking like a twig from the sob he was unable to contain. There was a bang and a snap, and a large building collapsed, joining all the rest that had already burned to the ground.

His sister's voice rang out like a bell in what Dipper could only assume where her final moments. It was that desperate and horrified kind of wail, when you know you're life is ending but you still want someone to know, to hear you. It was the sound of someone that didn't want to be lost in the rubble, someone who didn't want to become just another name on a list of missing people. It was the sound of Dipper's sister begging anyone and anything around her to remember that sound. To remember her. It was the sound of Mabel's life ending.

And that struck a really sensitive nerve for Dipper.

The screaming went silent. The flames dissipated. Dipper's shoulders began to shake with the terrible urge to burst into tears. He turned towards the woman beside him, prepared to rant and scream and curse about how she could have been saved. But he stopped before he'd even started. His eyes widened at the sight. The woman's figure was no more than a silhouette. The only perceptible feature she had were her eyes, which were simply glowing white rings where her face should have been. Dipper stepped back, clutching his injured arm in his hand. "Mabel. Fix her, save her! Now!" The creature tilted its head, almost in a confused kind of way. But it seemed more so demeaning when the circular eyes narrowed into slits. Was she... amused by all of this? Dipper didn't know, nor did he care by any means. "Bring her back! Give me back my sister!"

The woman began to circle around him, and Dipper realized then that she had no legs. Beneath the waist, she was a mere shadow. Dipper followed the creature with his eyes, turning to face her. There was a spark, and flames rose in the wake of the shadow. Dipper held tight onto his arm, letting the pain of his fingers digging into his wounds distract him from his fear. Why hadn't he woken up? Why hadn't Bill gotten rid of the nightmare? Questions swirled in his head, but no answers came. The shadow stopped directly in front of him. Dipper wanted to step further away, but the blazing fire behind him kept him in place. The shadow moved closer to him until he felt the chill of her body up against his. He found that he was unable to move yet again, and cursed silently to himself.

Then would have be a wonderful time to have the journals. Or to be able to speak. He knew plenty of exorcism spells, but he couldn't exactly recite them without the use of his mouth. The creature giggled playfully, her arms winding around his torso. Its claws picked at the hem of his shirt, then crawled upwards, along his spine. Dipper shuddered, closing his eyes. The creature clucked her tongue in an almost scolding manner, her hands stopping right in the middle of his back. "Never look away from me," she purred, leaning up into his ear. Dipper ground his teeth together in frustration. "Do you understand that? You're mine." He felt her remove her hands from his skin. Not even a second later, her claws were being driven deep into his flesh.

Dipper's eyes snapped wide open, and he felt blood pooling in his throat. "You're mine! MINE!" the creature wailed, the sound shrill and banging against his eardrums. She screamed the word over and over, punctuating it with another stab into his skin each and every time until he was almost completely numb. Dipper felt he should have collapsed long ago. He felt he should have died long ago. And yet, he was still on his feet, still able to somehow take the agony she was providing him. The shadow stopped, and he heaved, his body slumping over her shoulder for support. His breathing was quick and shallow, and he was barely able to keep his eyes open at all.

He felt fingers entangle themselves into his hair, still cold but oozing with his own blood. He would have moved away, but he didn't even have it in him to feel disgusted. "Mabel... I..." he choked out, the tears that had collected in his eyes pouring onto the creature's shoulder. "Please. I can't live without her..." The fact that he was dreaming at all was lost on him by then. All he could register was the fact that he should be dead, and Mabel should be alive. The shadow clutched his hair, claws cutting into his scalp as she yanked his head back to face her. Everything had gone completely black. The town, the flames, all of it gone. The only thing he could make out were the now glowing red eyes of the furious creature in front of him, mere inches away from his face.

"Never say that!" she spat, voice even more hollow as it echoed through the empty void they seemed to be in. "You're mine! Mine! MINEMINEMINEMINEMINE!"

Dipper awoke, sputtering and coughing. His chest heaved and his entire body was trembling. He sat up in his bed, eyes wide and full of terror. Bill was already up, it seemed, but Dipper barely even noticed a thing beyond his own fear. Bill grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, eyes blazing red with fury. "What did you do?!" he growled, shaking Dipper enough to bring him a little further into reality. "What did you DO?"

Dipper shook his head. That's what he wanted to know. But Bill clearly didn't believe him. He pulled the brunette closer to him so they were just about nose to nose, teeth sharp and grinding together in outrage. "Did you make a deal with another demon?!" he demanded, showing no sympathy for Dipper, who was still shivering from the dream.

"No!"

"Did you let one into your head?!"

"No! I swear!"

Bill shoved Dipper away from him, his eyes no longer red, but it was obvious he was far from calm. "Kid, you have no idea what you've gotten yourself into!" he growled, fists clenched and quickly turning white. Dipper just stared back at him, unable to respond. "This thing clearly has its eye on you! And because of whatever you did, Shooting-" he stopped, noting the way Dipper's entire body stiffened up when he said it. He sighed, running a hand through his bangs. That was low, even for his standards. Bill hesitated a moment, then placed a hand on Dipper's shoulder. The brunette looked upwards at Bill to see that he was clearly apologetic, his eyes cast to the side. "Pine Tree, I don't really know what's going on, but I'm not gonna let that she-demon sink her claws into Shooting Star, alright?"

Dipper felt his nerves begin to unwind. He wasn't quite sure why, but that was actually rather comforting. He nodded, taking a breath to calm himself. "You'd better not," he said firmly, easing up so his back straightened out. He hissed in pain when he did so, and reached a hand back to feel the spot that hurt. It stung to so much as touch, and his arm also felt a little worse for wear. Dipper quickly realized that the arm that hurt was the one the demon had raked her claws into, and he pulled his sleeve up to see four jagged red lines that crawled all the way up from his wrist to his shoulder.

When he looked up, he immediately noticed the fact that Bill's eyes had turned a bright crimson yet again. He reached out, taking Dipper's arm into his hands. "Take off your shirt," he ordered, tracing his thumb along Dipper's wrist.

Dipper blinked. "What?" he questioned, brow furrowed suspiciously.

But Bill looked dead serious. "Take. Off. Your. Shirt," he was clearly seething, and Dipper could see the flames quite literally rising in his eyes. He reluctantly pulled his shirt up and off, trying to ignore the way his limbs protested against him. He watched Bill stand up, motioning for Dipper to do the same. He did as he knew he was being told, and Bill grabbed his uninjured arm, spinning him around to see his back. A long few seconds passed by in silence. Dipper wasn't sure what to make of the situation he was in. He felt a hand press up against the wound and he flinched, both out of shock and out of the pain that came with the light touch. "Kid. This is more serious than you think," Bill said direly, and Dipper felt the blonde's fingers glide over his skin. His ears were on fire by then, and he had to take a deep breath, silently scolding himself.

He was being haunted by some creature equipped and willing to kill him, and here he was getting flustered over a demon he didn't even like.

Dipper shook his head. "What's happening?" he asked, closing his eyes. This was just too much for him. And after so many years of almost normalcy...If he could really even call it that.

"What's happening is you've somehow attracted a demon to you. Whether you went out on one of those mystery hunts of yours and stuck your nose a little too deep in the thornbush, or you just accidentally said an incantation the wrong way, it doesn't matter. You've caught the eye of something deadly. And if you thought I was bad..." Bill whistled, placing his hands on Dipper's shoulders and spinning him around so they were face to face. "Then you're really not gonna like what you've gotten yourself into now. This thing doesn't want your possessions, and it doesn't want the world. It wants you; mind, body, and soul, kid. Why, I don't know. But I'm going to find out."

Dipper nodded, jaw hung open slightly. Bill was staring at him in the strangest way, and he couldn't tell if it was anger or sympathy or determination, but it made him nervous. Bill moved away from him, exhaling. A moment passed. Neither of them really said anything. At least, not until Bill finally let his body relax, shoulders rolling back some so he didn't appear to be so on edge anymore. "Get dressed. We're opening up the gift shop today." he said, opening up the closet and pulling out a yellow sweater vest. Dipper decided that was Bill's way of lightening the mood and, because he really didn't want to think of some supernatural creature attaching itself to him, he went along with it.

Dipper stepped towards his dresser and opening it. "Nope. Mabel declared today a "party day" and planned a bunch of stupid fun things for us to do," he explained, shoving his arms through the sleeves of a t-shirt. "We were supposed to do all of this yesterday after work but Mabel really wanted Pacifica to be here and she was busy, sooo..." He put a pair of jeans on, then searched his drawers for the black and white flannel he'd intended to wear.

"Sounds fine to me, I guess. Hey, Pine Tree," Bill called, and Dipper spun around to face him. He was immediately met with exactly what he'd been looking for, except it had landed on his face and Bill had obviously been the one to throw it. Grumbling, he reached up and pulled it away, opting not to comment as he put it on and buttoned it up. "I forgot to give it back after I borrowed it." Bill said with a grin, combing his hair into place with his fingers. Dipper hummed, eyes downcast as he turned to walk away. He felt his chest inexplicably tighten. His flannel smelled fucking fantastic. If Dipper had to name the scent, it was almost like mint, but not quite so overwhelming. And maybe vanilla. Yes, he was certain that's what that was. And the fact that he liked it so much was enough to make him feel nervous again in the worst kind of way, because he was clueless as to why.

Bill started laughing, and Dipper knew exactly what the reason for it was. He grimaced, stepping down the first stair and trying to block out the blonde's laughter. "Thanks, kid! I think I'll choose to take your little observation there as a compliment," he cooed, watching Dipper disappear down the stairs. The brunette clenched his fists at his sides, really doing his best to ignore both of the demons in his life, pestering and pushing him to the edge of insanity. That book of his had better be a goddamn best seller, or else none of this was even worth it. He stepped into the living room to find Mabel on the couch, talking very animatedly to Pacifica. She looked over to see him and waved excitedly.

"Sup, broseph! Where's Bill? I heard you two yelling at each other earlier. Is everything alright? You aren't mad at each other, are you? The last thing I need are two pouty boys in the house. Oh, yeah! Pacifica needs to meet him. Er... Not meet, since they kinda already have. But you guys know what I mean. Anyway, yeah," she rambled, talking almost too fast for even Dipper to follow her. But he was nearly fluent in 'Mabel-ese' so he was able to decipher it. Pacifica furrowed her brow in interest.

Dipper chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Uh, he'll be down in a second. Everything's fine. Bill was just..." Dipper paused, not quite sure how to put it. He didn't want to tell Mabel about his little demonic issue just yet, especially not with Pacifica around. "Upset, is all." he replied with, deciding that was vague enough to quell her curiosity until later. He was about to continue when he heard the sound of a certain former triangle's voice.

"Sorry about the noise, Shooting Star. Won't happen again, I promise. Cross my heart or whatever," Bill chimed pleasantly, sending Mabel his best toothy grin.

Dipper simply rolled his eyes. "Pacifica, this is Bill. He's, uh..."

"Your boyfriend," Pacifica said casually, an eyebrow raised in interest. "Right? I mean, the only rooms up there are yours, Mabel's, and your uncle's. And I'm assuming he's not living in either of those other ones, sooo..." She nodded to herself, a hand on her chin. "And he is... whew. Might not wanna take your eyes off him for a second. He's way too far out of your league not to have some weird ulterior motive."

A few silent and extremely awkward seconds ticked by in what felt like an eternity before Bill's laughter erupted throughout the room, and Dipper felt his face becoming red. Extremely red. "Boy, Shooting Star, you really know how to pick em! Those friends of yours sure are sharp, aren't they?" he pointed out between his incessant cackling. "I mean, first Candy and now Blondie over here? Oh, this is just perfect!"

Dipper grit his teeth together, casting a glance towards Bill, who seemed too busy finding this absolutely hilarious to actually pay attention. Dipper smacked a hand over his mouth, hushing him and glaring at the demon, who glared right back now that his fun was being interrupted. "I have to agree about the ulterior motive, but things are more complicated than that. I wouldn't date Bill if my life were at stake and, considering the fact that it has been at stake many times, I feel like that's a pretty slim chance," he hissed, looking back at Pacifica and Mabel, who seemed about to respond when Dipper quickly snatched his hand away from Bill.

Did he just...? Bill had licked Dipper's hand in annoyance. The brunette was being such a killjoy, and it pissed him off. Dipper grimaced, wiping his hand on his jeans as thoroughly as possible. When he looked at the blonde, he had his arms crossed over his chest, looking proud with that obnoxious smirk on his face. Dipper faced the two girls in the room. "Oh yeah. He's also the demon that tried to kill us all and destroy the entire world when we were twelve. Have fun." Dipper stormed out into the kitchen, leaving Pacifica to process the information he'd just dropped on her.

"WHAT?!" she shrieked. Mabel laughed nervously and Bill didn't say anything in defense. "You're the triangle guy!? To think I actually thought you were attractive!"

Bill snorted in amusement.

Dipper had to admit that he did as well.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Mabel was grinning cheerfully to herself, checking off all the things she'd wanted to that day. Surprisingly, without Dipper around, she'd gotten pretty organized. He wasn't really sure how he felt about that fact, though. On the one hand, he was relieved she could function on her own and didn't need to rely on him so much anymore. But on the other hand, he took pride in her dependency on him, and the same could be said about Mabel. He supposed he couldn't complain, though. She was much easier to live with when the whole goddamn house wasn't always a wreck.

"Alright. So we visited that haunted house in town. Which was totally not fun with Dip and Bill in the back laughing everything we passed!" she grumbled, turning to face the two boys. Bill smirked and Dipper just shrugged. Had Mabel really expected them of all people to get all freaked out over things like that? They were already living with a demon, after all.

"Mabel, we could've taken a walk out into the woods and seen things scarier than that house," Dipper pointed out, raising an eyebrow. Bill scoffed, both of them knowing what an accurate statement that was. Even Pacifica let out a giggle at that.

Mabel puffed her cheeks out in defeat. "Yeah, well... You could have pretended," she huffed, turning back to her list. "Anyways.. Then we played some of our old video games. I totally rocked at Super Duper Smash Brothers, by the way," she went on proudly, hands on her hips.

Dipper rolled his eyes, grinning. "You lost against Pacifica," he said, gesturing towards the other girl in the room.

"I still beat you, and that's what matters," Mabel retorted, sticking her nose in the air in a mock snobby manner. She held up her little notebook, drawing a line through the second to last item on the list. "Oh, and then we dyed our hair," she continued, sitting down next to Pacifica and toying with her hair. Mabel had insisted, and who was Pacifica to say no to her? So Mabel's hair faded into a bubblegum pink at the bottom while Pacifica's turned a deep violet at the end. Dipper and Bill's hair remained completely untouched, though. The both of them had very fervently refused to have such horrors inflicted upon themselves. "So all that's left..." A wide smile spread across Mabel's face.

Dipper immediately feared for his safety. "What is it?" he asked, dread like a weight in his stomach.

Mabel spun on her heel to face the two boys, a devious look on her face. "Bill, how much freedom over that bottle in the fridge has Dipper given you?" she asked. Both of the boys knew exactly what bottle she was talking about. Dipper's shoulders slumped. Yeah, that's about where he'd expected this to go.

But while he shook his head in disapproval, Bill all but lit up like a Christmas tree. "Not a sip, Shooting Star! It's criminal!" he exclaimed melodramatically, earning a laugh from Pacifica, who had very quickly warmed up to him.

Mabel was practically oozing with excitement. "Perfect! Who wants to get super wasted and ask each other really personal questions?" Mabel asked, doing a little hip wiggle. Everyone but Dipper were all for the idea, Bill because he really wanted to get his hands on that bottle and Pacifica because she wanted to hear some interesting things about Mabel. Dipper, however, was more than a little bit hesitant.

"I don't drink," he said blandly, gaze level when it met Bill's own.

The demon rolled his eyes. "Liar," he responded, and Mabel skipped out of the room to get what she wanted. "You can't tell me that during four years of college, you never once drowned all of your post adolescent sorrows and academic regrets in alcohol."

Dipper chose not to respond to that. That wasn't even fair. Everyone did that. Hell, it pretty much came with all the stress and debt and downright depression that came with leaving home and living with a bunch of other newly independent kids trying to figure out their own lives. Alcoholism was practically unavoidable. Not that Dipper had indulged in it all that much. Bill smirked. "That's what I thought."

Dipper muttered to himself as Mabel appeared in the doorway once again, more than just the one bottle in her hands. "That's Grunkle Stan's," Dipper pointed out, gesturing towards the objects she was carrying.

Mabel handed one to Pacifica, who examined the label. "Whatever. I'll buy him more tomorrow. I'm sure he won't even know the difference," she responded with a shrug, sitting the second bottle, the one Bill had specifically asked for not long ago, on the coffee table. She then darted into the kitchen to grab a few glasses and rush back into the living room. She handed one out to each of the players in whatever game she had in mind.

Dipper huffed, watching Pacifica pull the cap off of what looked like apple cider. But Dipper was smarter than that. "I'd really prefer to sit this one out," he complained as Bill looked over the writing on the label.

Pacifica gave the bottle to Mabel, who very excitedly poured her own. Neither she nor Dipper drank often, but Mabel was always very... enthusiastic about it. Bill reached over and grabbed the drink he had picked, popping it open. "Kid, I'm starting to think you just can't hold your liquor," he said, pouring some of the beverage into his glass.

Dipper scowled. "I can too! That isn't even it," he hissed defensively, narrowing his eyes.

Bill grinned, and Dipper knew what he was doing. But hell, if Bill wanted to play that way, then he'd fight right back. "Oh, it's not?" Bill retorted mockingly, holding the bottle out towards the brunette. "Then prove it." Dipper scowled, taking it and pouring his own glass with a grumble. Bill had a triumphant look on his face, which annoyed Dipper beyond belief. The demon held his drink up, and gave it a quick sniff. "Hey, you know what this smells like?"

Dipper smiled just barely, glancing at the demon in slight amusement. "Pine trees, I know. I've had gin before," he said with a roll of his eyes. "Now come on. Mabel looks like she's about to throw a fit." And he was right. Mabel was holding the drink up to her lips, bouncing up and down excitedly. Bill gave a faint laugh before he nodded towards the others in the room. Mabel squealed, holding up three of her fingers and counting. Once the final digit went down, all four of them took their first shot. And Dipper was more than a tad pleased by the results.

It burned just a bit on its way down, but Dipper actually rather enjoyed the taste the alcohol left in his mouth. Dipper had said he didn't drink often, but that didn't mean he disliked doing it on occasion. He smirked towards Bill, who seemed to be holding back the urge to gag. Mabel cheered, pouring herself another and downing it faster than Dipper could've blinked. Pacifica laughed, watching all of the varied reactions with a smile. "What was that you were saying about holding my liquor? Because I can do it just fine," Dipper teased, swirling the bottle in his hand.

Bill glared at the brunette, reaching out and snatching the gin from him. "And so can I," he hissed, taking a pretty big swig of it. Which probably wasn't the best idea, because as soon as he managed to force it down, he coughed. Dipper rolled his eyes playfully, taking the drink from Bill.

"Obviously," he retorted, not even bothering to pour himself a glass. It wasn't like it mattered anymore. If Bill was just going to drink it straight from the bottle then there really was no point. It hardly even bothered Dipper. He was far from being a germaphobe. Dipper downed a large gulp of the drink, then held it back out for Bill. "It's probably too strong for you anyways."

Bill took the gin with a frown. "Don't treat me like a child, Pine Tree," he mumbled, looking down at the beverage in his hands. It tasted fine. It simply burned, and in a very un-funny kind of way, he decided. But he took his next drink anyway, finding that it stung a bit less than the last time, and he didn't need to choke it down. Once he got past that, he could actually enjoy the flavor, as strange and foreign as it was.

Pacifica quickly drank her second shot before Mabel could down the entire bottle without her. "Are you sure you two aren't dating?" she asked with a raise of her brow. It wasn't like she was terribly comfortable with Dipper being with some demon that had tried to destroy everything they'd ever cared about, but what could she do? She hadn't exactly expected him to be attracted to anyone even remotely normal in his adult life, but this seemed a little too strange. Even for him.

Mabel giggled, taking another drink. Her cheeks were rosier than usual and it was obvious to Dipper just how quickly she had gotten tipsy. Well, it appeared as if she'd already gulped down about a third of the cider, so he wasn't all that surprised. "They might as well be!" she exclaimed, bobbing her head from side to side. "Seriously, Pazzy, you should live with them. They can be bickering like an old married couple one second, then they're all laughy and googly eyed the next. And Dipper says he'd never even consider it, but then his face gets all blushy when Bill teases him. Bill's just as bad, though. Always trying to prove himself. 'Pine Tree, I did this' or 'Pine Tree, I helped with this' all day. Ugh," Mabel went on and on, pausing here and there to hiccup or point an accusing finger at the boys.

Pacifica laughed, leaning back against the couch. She supposed it was probably inevitable then. Well, they did make a pretty cute couple, if of course she overlooked the whole demon thing. Especially with both of them completely red in the face. "That's kinda adorable," Pacifica cooed, pouring herself another shot. She then waited for their reaction. And she didn't wait very long.

"NO IT'S NOT!" the two very flustered boys yelled in sync with one another. Dipper muttered to himself, taking a long gulp from the bottle. They were down to about half already, and Dipper didn't really feel much different. Maybe a bit of a buzz in the back of his head, but that was about it. Bill on the other hand... Well, it definitely showed that he'd never had alcohol before in his life. That much was certain. He decided he'd let the blonde have the rest anyway, though. Getting drunk wasn't exactly one of Dipper's favorite things to do. He held the gin out towards Bill, who happily took it from him. "And anyway," the brunette started. "There'd be no point. After this whole deal thing's over, Bill probably won't have any interest in staying human."

Pacifica hummed, still disbelieving. And Mabel rolled her eyes. Dipper could come up with a million reasons not to do something, even if they were all total bullshit. Even if he really wanted the exact opposite. Mabel knew her brother well enough to know that he was in total denial. Bill stayed silent for once, eyes darting to the side as he chugged down quite a bit of the booze Dipper had allowed him. The sting had all but died, and his entire body felt rather warm in a strangely pleasant way. Mabel huffed, standing up. "Whatever you say, guys. Pacifica and I are gonna go play that game on our own. You two can... I dunno, figure stuff out," she said blandly, her words slurring as she turned and headed for the staircase.

Pacifica blinked in slight confusion, but didn't complain as she stood up with the cider in her hand to follow Mabel. "See ya, guys. It was fun hanging out with you, even if one of you is a crazy brain demon," she teased, chuckling. Dipper waved, but his gaze mostly remained on Bill, who seemed way too invested in his alcohol. Alright, maybe giving all of it to him wasn't such a great idea. He chugged down what was left of the alcohol, then looked back towards Dipper, face flushed and eyes not quite focused on anything.

The blonde grinned, holding out the empty bottle and shaking it a little. "See? Who's the one who can't-" he hiccuped, "can't hold his liquor now?"

 _Oh boy..._

Mabel led Pacifica up the stairs, looking far too devious for her own good. Leaving two boys in a room alone together was a pretty ideal scenario. No matter how denial crazy they were, things were bound to happen. Especially while they were drunk. Man, Mabel was a genius. The perfect matchmaker! Pacifica seemed to catch onto this quickly, and snorted in amusement. "I give them an hour," she commented, taking the tiniest sip of the apple cider.

Mabel scoffed, waving a hand dismissively. "Please," she retorted with a roll of her eyes. "Ten minutes. Tops."

Bill sat the bottle down, leaning forward on his hands. "Hey, kid. You wanna know a little something about that deal of ours?" he asked, moving just a tad closer to Dipper.

"What?" Dipper questioned cautiously, narrowing his eyes in suspicion towards the demon. Bill was clearly out of it, but his information was good regardless.

Bill chuckled, so close then to Dipper that the brunette could smell the alcohol on his breath. "When I said I wanted the whole human experience, I meant I wanted everything," he breathed into the others ear. Dipper was sure he could feel Bill's smirk against his skin. He closed his eyes and swallowed thickly, suppressing the shiver that threatened to run up his spine. Bill tapped one of the buttons on Dipper's flannel, then picked at it as if to undo it. "Every little thing you humans indulge yourselves in. I want it all, and the thing about demons, kid, is that we always get what we want."

Dipper inhaled, forcing himself to move away from Bill. The blonde was just drunk. Extremely drunk. And Dipper was as well. At least, a little bit. If they weren't, this wouldn't have been happening. If they weren't, neither of them would have even considered this. Dipper reached out an picked up the empty bottle of liquor.

He stood up, forcing himself not to get flustered. "Great, because the next thing on the list is hangovers. Or at least, how to avoid them," he said, sarcasm dripping from his voice as he leaned down and grabbed their shot glasses. "Now don't you feel lucky?" He spun on his heels and disappeared into the kitchen. Bill just watched him go, a dissatisfied expression on his face. That had not been his intended reaction. He'd wanted something a little more... Well, exciting. Bill sighed. Dipper, always the killjoy. But he was an intelligent killjoy. An attractive one, at that. Maybe Bill could get him to wear his glasses more often, too. He really did look nice in them. Thoughts swirled in his head, and he smirked. Dipper really didn't know how easily he'd caught Bill's eye, did he?

The brunette emerged once again into the living room with a bottle of water and an aspirin. "Take this," he said, holding both of them out for the demon. "And I'm not letting you go to bed without drinking all of this. I don't need to hear you whining about how much your head hurts in the morning if you don't." Muttering to himself, Bill took the pill from Dipper's hand and shoved it into his mouth. He grabbed the water as well, chugging down about half of the bottle in one gulp and drowning the aspirin. He looked at Dipper expectantly, as if something would resume if he looked at him the right way. Dipper crossed his arms. "I meant it," he said flatly, watching Bill begrudgingly chug the rest of the water as quickly as he could manage.

"Kid, I'm gonna be real frank here. I-" But Dipper wouldn't allow it.

"Go to bed," he ordered, taking the bottle and pointing upstairs. Bill frowned, glaring as he watched the human turn and toss the trash away. "Neither of us are in our right minds. Just sleep it off, alright? Believe me, I know what I'm-"

"Pine Tree, I want to rip your clothes off with my teeth," he growled, narrowing his eyes into slits, gold turning more of a bright blue for a few moments.

Dipper strode past him, up the stairs and towards his room. He tried to ignore the way his chest had tightened and the warmth spreading across his cheeks. Bill didn't help much, though, following him into his bedroom. "Alcohol makes people say dumb things," he mumbled, watching Bill throw up his arms in defeat and collapse on the bed. The blonde shifted so his head was propped up against the headboard and he could keep his eyes on Dipper, who seemed to be doing nothing but averting his own. "And anyway, you're here for my book. Not this." Dipper sat down on the edge of his bed, giving up on avoiding Bill's gaze.

Grinning mischievously, Bill scooted up onto his elbows so he was just about nose to nose with Dipper. "What's a story without a love interest?" he cooed, noticing the way Dipper's eyes had trailed down to his lips before focusing on his hazy expression.

"We're not in love, Bill," he whispered, but seemed to inch closer just the same. The scent of Bill's subtle cologne mingling with the alcohol on his breath seemed more intoxicating to Dipper than the actual booze in his system. And the way he was being looked at... Like Bill really wanted to tear him to pieces. He felt himself shiver at the thought, his breath hitching in his throat. This was too much. His mind was too cloudy to make any important decisions. But he let himself move nearer anyway, hands coming down to rest on either side of the blonde as he positioned himself over Bill. He closed the gap between them, lips meshing against the demon's own. And, much to his delight, Bill kissed back feverishly, although somewhat sloppily in his drunken stupor.

Dipper felt hands entangle themselves in his hair, tugging lightly. He closed his eyes, tilting his head to the side and deepening the kiss. But not before long, he had to pull himself away, both of them panting heavily. "Glad you see it my way," Bill purred, pulling Dipper back down and locking their lips back together. Dipper swiped his tongue across Bill's bottom lip. He didn't think about it. Honestly, everything seemed to just go blank. The contact was broken for a second or two in which the blonde chuckled at Dipper's speedy turnaround, but it quickly resumed. Bill's hands trailed downwards, and he opened his mouth to let Dipper's tongue invade it. He felt a chill crawl up his spine as he undid the buttons on the brunette's flannel.

Dipper let his teeth scrape gently across Bill's lip, eliciting a low moan from the demon beneath him. And then he realized... He had a demon beneath him. Eyes open, he shot back and moved away from Bill. Dipper wiped his mouth and looked away from him, blushing furiously. "Pine Tree, are you-"

But Dipper had already stood up and was pacing around the room restlessly. "Oh god oh god oh god, what am I doing?!" he questioned aloud to himself, hands in his hair. "I must be more drunk than I thought. This is so wrong." He couldn't even tell who had taken advantage of who at that point.

Bill snorted. "Gee, thanks kid," he said sarcastically, standing up. But before he could do anything to calm the other down, Dipper had already darted out of the room. He made his way downstairs and swung open the front door. This couldn't be happening. He couldn't like Bill, and Bill certainly didn't like him. He stepped outside, closing the door behind him. He needed air. He needed to clear his head, to get rid of the feeling of fire against his skin wherever Bill touched him and the demon's heavy breathing still ringing in his ears.

He needed to force his heartbeat back down to a normal level.

"Dipper, you alright?" asked the concerned voice of Pacifica as she opened the front door. She blinked in shock at Dipper's appearance. Hair disheveled, eyes dilated, and his flannel fully unbuttoned. "Oh," she said in realization, giving a slight nod. Dipper sighed, sitting down on the front step. "I saw you rush out here. Dip, I know you're freaking out but it's okay."

The brunette shook his head. "No it isn't. I shouldn't like Bill. I can't like Bill," he huffed, clenching his eyes shut.

Pacifica sat down beside him. "And why not?" she asked curiously, tilting her head in interest.

Dipper opened his mouth to respond, but nothing seemed to come out. "...I don't know..." he finally muttered, looking down. None of this made any sense to him.

Pacifica placed a hand on his shoulder. "Then just go for it, Dip. You'll be glad you did," she advised, smiling comfortingly at him. "Oh! What time is it?" she then asked, leaning over his shoulder when he pulled out his phone.

"Eleven fifty-three. Why?"

Pacifica stomped a foot lightly against the concrete. "Dammit! I owe your sister ten bucks," she replied with a snap of her fingers. Dipper raised an eyebrow at her.

"You just couldn't have lasted two more minutes, could you?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Dipper sat on the roof of the Shack, eyes closed. The wind blew softly, tousling his hair, and the night was lit up with a thousand stars. He took a deep breath, content. And then he realized that breathing was about all he could do. Not again... he silently pleaded, hoping to god that night would be even slightly more pleasant than the last. Dipper felt something cold crawling up his body, and he knew it to be a hand, even without looking. He furrowed his brow, gritting his teeth in frustration. "Open your eyes," cooed the hollow voice he recognized right away. He didn't want to.

But it seemed he didn't really have a choice.

Dipper opened his eyes to see the same blackened figure, this time sitting atop his lap. He wrinkled his nose. "Well, look who's got legs this time," he hissed in anger, finding that his voice still worked. The demon giggled, a hand over the place her mouth should have been. She shifted on top of Dipper, leaning her body over his. He cringed.

"Legs, hands, all the necessary bits," she murmured, icy fingers gently toying with his hair. He would've swatted her away had he been able to. But he couldn't, of course. She hummed, leaning into the brunette's ear. "Shh. Do you hear that?" she purred, a hand on his jaw while the other continued doing what it'd been in Dipper's hair. He tried to focus. He closed his eyes. And then it happened. That same familiar snap and that same familiar whir. And once again, it led to the same familiar outcome. The first scream he heard belonged to Stan, and he felt his shoulders stiffen.

"Quit." Ford joined in as well. Dipper bit the inside of his cheek.

"No. Stop." Pacifica. Wendy. Soos. Dipper's eyes snapped wide open. The demon hummed, raking her claws softly down his jaw and neck.

"Please!" he begged. And then Mabel's voice was added onto the chorus. Dipper grit his teeth, eyes closed, and the figure over him laughed against his ear.

She sat back, hands on either side of the man's face. "Oh, but it isn't finished," she purred. The sounds of all Dipper's loved ones screaming in agony and begging to be saved or occasionally begging to die faster, intensified. "You touched him," the voice of the woman on his lap growled, bright white eyes turning a blazing red. Flames seemed to come ever closer to them. Dipper could smell the smoke mingling with the charring flesh. "You wanted him to touch you!" she wailed, claws bearing down on his shoulders.

The voice of a blonde demon he knew well rang out above all the rest, outrage, horror, and pain all evident in his screaming. The shadow leaned so close she was just about nose to nose with Dipper. "Don't you know who you belong to?" she questioned darkly, eyes narrowed into slits. The stained glass window behind them shattered, and flames licked at his back. The symphony inside the house only seemed to get louder, until it was roaring against Dipper's ear drums and he felt dizzy from it all.

The brunette was trembling. "B-Bill? That's what this is about?" he asked, unable to hear his own voice over all the wailing.

The figure screeched, hand crashing into Dipper's face and claws slicing deep into his cheek. "Don't speak his name!" she cried. His eyes widened in terror. "You're mine! MINE!"

Dipper shot upright in his bed, panting. His shoulders ached. His cheek stung. His heart dropped. This couldn't be happening. He shook, hands covering his face. He wanted to cry. He wanted to scream. He wanted this to be over. "Kid," a voice Dipper had heard begging for his life moments prior hissed. Dipper looked up to see Bill standing already, his fists clenched at his sides. "I'm going to kill her. I'm going to rip out her throat! Hers?! You're mine!" he snarled, hands aglow with flames that threatened to burn the whole place down. And considering the dream Dipper had just experienced, that wasn't necessarily something he wanted to witness.

Still, he couldn't stop himself. "Yours?" he asked, a slight blush covering his cheeks.

Bill didn't hesitate. "Of course!" He still sounded upset, but the blue flames had at least withered away to nothing. "You're on my wheel, kid. You're practically my property."

And Dipper was then reminded yet again of what an asshole Bill really was. He stood up, trying to shake the nightmare from his head. "I'm getting in the shower," he said coldly, striding past the blonde and into the bathroom. Bill was left standing there, wondering what the hell he'd said wrong. What had Dipper even expected from him? Something actually kind of nice? Of course not. He knew better than that. And with the 'she-demon', as Bill had taken to calling her, on his back, he'd honestly prefer to keep away from Bill as much as possible. With threats becoming more and more real, he didn't want to think about what would happen if he expressed any interest in anyone. Even Bill. Especially Bill.

Bill knew this, but he didn't care. It pissed him off, to be totally frank. Dipper was under the thumb of some other demon, and there was nothing he could do about it. He growled out a curse, stomping down the stairs. He didn't bother getting dressed. "Shooting Star!" he called, making his way down the hall.

He could hear the grunt of Mabel's voice, and he knew immediately what was up. He snorted upon walking into the kitchen. She was slumped over a cup of coffee, two empty bottles of water at her side and sunglasses over her eyes. Pacifica sat across from her with a soft smile adorning her lips. Both of them were still in their pajamas. "What?" she huffed sourly, chugging down quite a bit of the coffee.

Bill crossed his arms, leaning against the door frame. "I've got Pine Tree problems," he said simply, sighing at the end.

Pacifica giggled. "So you two aren't a thing yet?" She raised an eyebrow. Bill shook his head. He liked Pine Tree. A lot. In ways he probably shouldn't. He supposed that came with the human body. Heart, mind, and... Begrudgingly, a soul. It wasn't like he'd wanted one. But had he not created one for himself, the body would have decayed. He wouldn't be human. He'd have been resorted to a zombie, a shell of what he'd needed. So he'd have to bear with the additional feelings he'd acquired with it. It was his only real option, after all...

But he'd leave that part to himself.

"Looks like he'll probably be ignoring me for a while," Bill replied, eyes on the ground. He pursed his lips. Maybe if he were a bit nicer, but that wasn't really his greatest draw. Still, Dipper seemed to like him just the same, even if he refused to admit it.

Mabel waved a hand. "He'll come around. His stages of denial never last very long," she said, one hand massaging her temple while the other held the mug up to her lips. "Just give him some time."

Bill hummed. That'd be totally fine... If he had all the time in the world. But sadly, in his current form, he did not. Human lives were all too short. Not bothering to respond, he turned on his heels, deciding he'd get dressed and hope for the best. Dipper was stubborn, but there was no way he'd stay mad at Bill long if he just said all the right things. He opened the bedroom door to see Dipper, hair wet and only half dressed. Not that Bill really cared. They'd changed in front of each other multiple times already. Still, human attraction was a very strange thing. He always got the weirdest feeling at all the weirdest possible moments. And that was something he really didn't need.

"Turn around," he said, trying not to stare.

Dipper furrowed his brow. "Why?"

Bill exhaled, running his fingers through his bangs. "I wanna see if those scratches are still all over your back," he replied simply. That at least was being honest. Hey, he didn't always have some ulterior motive. Just... most of the time.

Dipper twisted around, ears heated. "If they are, I can't feel them," he said with a shrug. He was right. Not a single one remained. Only the ones on his shoulders and his cheek even made an appearance on his body. So at least they'd faded quickly. Bill stepped towards him, quietly. He placed a hand on the small of Dipper's back, feeling the brunette flinch beneath his touch. He gave a thoughtful hum, running his fingers upwards. Dipper visibly shuddered, and Bill chuckled. The blonde leaned into his ear with a smirk. "I meant what I said, you know," he cooed, enjoying the look of mortification on Dipper's face. "And unless I'm mistaken, I'm pretty damn sober right now."

Dipper shook his head, breaking away from Bill. He turned to face the blonde, arms crossed. "Could you not?" he grumbled, trying to look angry despite his blush.

Bill ignored it though. He had tried not to look at it before, but the cuts on his face practically begged to be seen. "She got you pretty good, didn't she?" The question needed no response. His eyes traced along Dipper's face, resting on his scarred cheek. He placed a hand there, thumb running along the reddened skin. The brunette hissed, wincing at the sensation. He was about to recoil, but the way Bill's eyes had begun to glow an iridescent blue stopped him in his tracks.

"What're you-" Dipper's voice cut off. The throb in his cheek seemed to gradually fade away, and he knew immediately that it was Bill fixing it. The pain had ebbed away to nothing, and the blonde let his hand fall, eyes turning their usual shade of yellow.

Bill grinned triumphantly. "Wouldn't wanna explain that to Shooting Star, now would we?" he asked, expression faltering for a moment. Anyone else would've assumed he was fine, but Dipper knew better than that. He knew Bill better than that. He could clearly see the blonde's hands shaking violently. Dipper opened his mouth, but before he could even ask, Bill's eyes had turned a deep gray and the demon had fallen to his knees, sputtering.

Dipper knelt down beside him, hands reached out and clueless as to what he was supposed to do. "K-kid... This is-" he coughed a deep red liquid into his hand. "Bad. Even minor magic usage... is painful to pull off." His eyes wouldn't focus on anything, and they seemed to fade in and out of color. Dipper pressed his hands against Bill's shoulders, keeping him steady.

The blonde coughed again, this time more blood spewing from his mouth. Dipper's brows knit together and his lips pulled into a tight frown, he combed through his mind for a solution. Any solution at all. But none came. Not any of his prior knowledge of the supernatural or Gravity Falls had prepared him for the situation he found himself in. And that applied to both of the demons in his life. Bill let his head loll to the side, shuddering in horrible pain. His eyes flashed a bright white for a moment, and Dipper had to squint even to look at them.

Then they faded back into their original golden hue, just moments before they closed softly. Bill's body fell against Dipper's, unconscious, and the brunette had no real clue what he was supposed to do. So he just wrapped an arm around the other, pulling him upwards and hauling him towards the bed. He laid the blonde down, trying in vain to make sense of what was happening. Obviously Bill's powers were fading away. But why? Maybe it was because he resided in a human body.

Or possibly even more likely, he had created the body in the first place because his powers were fading away.

Dipper blinked, realization crashing into him. Was that it? Was this whole thing simply a means of survival? And if so, what had become of the Mindscape? Was it in shambles, or did it function on its own, apart from Bill? Was he even still immortal? Or would the body eventually die, just like a normal human's? Dipper was pacing at that point, and had picked up a notebook off his nightstand. He flipped to the first empty page, jotting down whatever seemed important at the time. He also wrote down a list of questions he'd be asking Bill once the demon woke up. He was far too invested not to finally put his foot down and demand some answers. He slipped a shirt on over his head, then shoved the miniature notebook into his back pocket. With one last look at Bill, he stepped out of his room, closing the door.

He wasn't going to avoid answering Dipper's questions this time. The brunette had his ways of making the other talk. Maybe his means were a bit... unorthodox, but they would have to do. Bill wanted the whole human experience? Well, by god, Dipper would be perfectly willing to help him out. Only, of course, if he got something out of it. Devious, he knew. Sneaky, even. But hell, he'd learned his tricks from the absolute best, hadn't he? He grinned, although a part of him felt very strange about it all. It hadn't been okay the night before, but it suddenly had become that way? No. No, of course not. He just really needed the information. His safety and the safety of others may depend on how much he could get Bill to say. But there was also the whole possessive she-demon that haunted his nightmares and really hated Dipper so much as being around Bill. For whatever reason she may have had...

Yeah, he seemed pretty lost for a solution omce he really stopped to think about it all. No matter what he came up with, there always seemed to be a reason to go back on it. Maybe he'd try to coax the info out of Bill and that'd be it. Nothing crazy. Nothing he'd regret. Except... Would he even regret it? Dipper's face flushed. Of course he would! Or... maybe he wouldn't. Boy, he needed to make up his mind, and quickly. This was getting a bit ridiculous. He stepped into the kitchen to see Mabel, now fully dressed, pouring herself a cup of coffee. Likely not her first cup either. By the look of things, she had a massive migraine. One of the many reasons Dipper didn't drink often, but hey, who was he to judge?

Pacifica looked back at him with a smile. "Morning, Dip. I was just about to get dressed and go. Mom and Dad really want me to go to some stupid rich people party to plead for money and regain our fortune. Anyway, I kinda have no choice until I move out," she explained, standing up. He nodded, and she briefly wrapped an arm around his torso, giving a slight squeeze. "It was fun hanging out. And I'm sure I'll have even more fun explaining my hair to my parents." She giggled, darting off. Mabel called her goodbye, taking a large drink of her coffee.

"Where's Bill?" his sister asked, sitting her cup down. Dipper glanced away for a split second before looking back at her. She narrowed her eyes, one eyebrow raised.

Dipper coughed into his hand. "Um..." He really didn't know what to say, so he decided to just be honest. "Unconscious upstairs."

Mabel shook her head. "What? Why?" she questioned, looking off towards the staircase.

Dipper decided to be honest again. Keeping secrets from Mabel had never turned out well in the past. Why should it have then? "I'm not quite sure, but whenever he uses his powers, it seems to hurt him in some way. And it's gotten worse." He leaned against the door frame, arms crossed. "He started coughing up blood until he passed out. I kinda figured he was losing his abilities, but I'm worried about it..."

"Oh, please, kid. Throw me a fucking tea party while you're at it," Bill grumbled from behind him, and Dipper spun around to face the blonde. His eyes were slightly more dull and his hair was unkempt, more so than when he'd gotten up. There was dried blood crusted up against his lip, but he didn't seem all that interested in it. Frankly, Dipper thought he looked like hell. "I'm fine. Just give me one of those capsule things so I can get myself a goddamn shower." He rubbed one of his temples, in obvious pain.

Mabel and Dipper shared a glance. "Pills...?" she asked, head tilted slightly.

"Whatever," Bill snapped, holding out a hand. "My head feels like it's being crushed. You humans are too susceptible to pain, and it pisses me off. This body is far too weak." Dipper blinked, turning and reaching towards a drawer beside the sink. He opened it, pulling out a bottle of pills and popping it open. He held one out towards the demon, who took it without so much as a thank you and stomped back off towards the stairs. He closed the pill bottle. Mabel watched him put them away, frowning. "Bro, this is potentially bad," she said with a worried expression on her face.

Dipper just shrugged, grabbing himself a mug and filling it with coffee. He debated whether or not to put anything in it, but decided that he didn't really care enough. "It'll be fine. I'll just have to keep an eye on him to be sure he doesn't try to get them back," he replied, taking a drink. "Once they're gone, he'll be human and we won't have to worry about him hurting anyone."

Mabel shook her head. "I don't think you get it," she said somewhat urgently, her voice barely above a whisper. She placed both hands on Dipper's shoulders. "This is hurting him, Dipper. What if being here is killing him?"

Dipper had to force himself to swallow his coffee. His eyes widened. It would make sense, but why? Why would Bill want the human experience if it meant dying? It didn't make any sense. He narrowed his eyes at his sister, sitting the cup down on the counter. He gently removed her hands from his shoulders, pulling the notepad from his pocket and adding this new discovery to his list of things he needed to know. "Can you take care of the Shack without me today? I'll do all the work tomorrow, I promise," he said, looking serious. Mabel seemed skeptical, but he rolled his eyes at her and held out his smallest finger towards her.

"I thought you were too cool for pinky swears," she teased, locking her pinky with his.

Dipper chuckled, letting his arm fall to his side. "Maybe in high school. Everybody kinda stops trying to be cool in college. We're all just big kids with legal authority, to be totally honest," he pointed out and she scoffed.

"Sounds like the place to be," she retorted. "Alright, bro. I got the Shack handled for the day. You go do your thing and investigate." She kissed his cheek and turned the other way, towards the gift shop. She opened the door, leaving him with a slight wave. Dipper's smile dropped as soon as she was gone. Bill might be dying. Or deteriorating. He grit his teeth. Why did that leave such a sour taste in his mouth? Why did that make him feel so nervous? His chest tightened, heart beating faster than it should've been. Nothing seemed to be adding up in his head. He needed answers. And soon. All of these secrets drove him crazy.

He sat at the table with his drink, sipping on it. Anxiousness clawed at him, but he tried to focus on something else. Anything else. Even the horrible ache in his shoulders seemed mind numbing enough to keep him from screaming in frustration. Developing feelings, or at least some sort of attraction, towards a dream demon that tormented him as a child didn't seem like an ideal scenario. Especially with all of these theories and conspiracies floating around in Dipper's head. He sighed loudly, holding the mug up to his lips and taking the last drink. Bill stepped into the room, looking bored and much more pleasant than previously. He opened his mouth to speak, but Dipper clearly wasn't in the mood.

"Sit," the brunette ordered, a hand running through his bangs. He really had thought the most eventful year of his life was the one he'd spent his first summer in Gravity Falls. And it was... But this was certainly on its way to getting there.

Bill raised an eyebrow, but sat down on one of the wooden chairs anyway. "What's got you looking so-"

"I want answers, Bill," Dipper hissed, leaning his head on his hand. "It's getting real annoying, all this secrecy."

Bill stood up, turning and heading for the door. Dipper blinked. "We have a deal. Remember?"

Bill froze for a few seconds before spinning back around, a furious expression on his face. Dipper could tell he was definitely regretting that little agreement. He stepped towards the other, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and yanking him upwards. Bill got in his face. "I could kill you if I really wanted to, you know," he growled, flashing his unusually sharp canines. Dipper remained stoic. He had no reason to be scared of the blonde, or even really take that threat seriously. Their original deal stated that Bill couldn't so much as hurt anyone, and both of them knew he had no way of going back on it.

"But you don't want to, nor could you. Not really," Dipper replied, lips forming a thin line on his face. "Face it, I've got your hands tied pretty tightly." Bill's eyes turned a deep scarlet before fading back into gold. Although Dipper noticed they were slightly less bright than they'd been before. The two just stared at one another for a long time, Dipper expressionless and Bill slowly calming down. He sighed, shoulders slumping and hand loosening on Dipper's shirt. "Fine." He shoved the brunette away from him.

Dipper grinned triumphantly. "Glad you see it my way," he echoed the demon's words from the night before, and Bill practically turned red with anger. He couldn't believe he actually felt something for some obnoxious kid. And Dipper couldn't fathom the fact that he felt anything towards some sarcastic asshole. But neither of them really seemed to be complaining as Bill turned towards the hallway with a sour look on his face.

"We're going somewhere," he muttered, turning his head to look back at Dipper.

The brunette crossed his arms. "Oh yeah? And where would that be?"

"I don't fucking know," Bill hissed, stepping towards the front door. "It's not like I'm driving."

Dipper huffed, following after the blonde. At least now he'd be getting some answers. But something told him he wouldn't like them. He bit the inside of his cheek. There had to be a reason Bill was keeping all of this from him. But why?

Dipper took a deep breath and followed him. That's what he needed to find out.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Dipper made it a point to Bill that he didn't want to talk to him unless it was to ask questions. He hated secrets, keeping them and having them be kept from him. He'd vowed to avoid them as much as possible after his first visit to Gravity Falls. He didn't need any more burdens on his conscience and as far as he was concerned, that was a pretty wise decision. "Why can't you use your powers?"

Bill was quiet, looking out the car window with a bored expression. He sighed. "Because I'm being drained of them. I thought that was pretty self explanatory," he grumbled, eyes darting downwards.

Dipper rolled his eyes, but kept them focused primarily on the road ahead. "Yeah, but why?" he questioned impatiently.

Bill glared at him. "Because of you," he hissed angrily. Dipper raised his brow. "After Fez regained his memories, I knew there was hope for me yet. When you delete any trace of something, you have to make sure there are no back doors, kid. And his mind being restored kept my existence from being completely thrown out the window. I was weak, though, and tried to go back to my dimension...And I succeeded. But they didn't want my leadership anymore. I was practically forced to stay in the Mindscape for what, ten years? Just watching the people of Gravity Falls tear down everything I'd worked for and go back to their normal lives. And during that time, my powers started getting weaker and the whole dimension itself started to fall apart without me in control. I knew once it was gone, I was done for. I needed a way to stay alive as long as possible." He turned his golden eyes on the brunette, who listened with piqued interest. "And in case you haven't figured it out already, that's where you came in. This stupid human body was my only means of survival. So I made a deal with you. Easy."

Dipper hummed, giving himself a second to let that information sink in. So he'd at least been right about something. "Alright, fine. But what's gonna happen when your powers are completely gone?" he asked curiously.

Bill scoffed. "Worried about me, are you?"

"Not even a little bit." Dipper glanced in his direction.

"Liar. I can still read your mind. Pretty easily, actually. You're kind of an open book, kid," Bill replied with a snicker, sure he was getting under Dipper's skin. And he was.

The brunette narrowed his eyes straight ahead. "Whatever. Just answer my questions," he huffed, purposely avoiding Bill's gaze.

Bill shrugged. "Fine. But you may not like the answer," he said, looking down for a moment before looking back up.

"I'm not a little kid," Dipper muttered.

Bill just laughed. "Everyone's a little kid in my book, Pine Tree. But if you really wanna know, I'll tell you," he started, opening up the glove compartment and rifling through Dipper's things. Dipper didn't care enough to stop him. It wasn't like he had anything important in there anyway. "There are two possibilities. Both of them are equally as likely, so don't ask me what I think is happening. The first possibility is I basically become human. No more powers, no more Mindscape. Simple. I live and die as a human being with all the inconveniences that come with it. Aging, injuries, sickness. You know, all the unpleasant things."

Dipper nodded, fascinated by that fact. He could hardly imagine Bill Cipher aging, but he supposed that'd be better than any more torment form the demon. "Okay. And the second possibility?" he asked expectantly, eyes cast towards the blonde for a moment before darting back towards the road. He really had no idea where he'd planned to go. At that point, he was just driving forward. Bill was silent for a long time. Dipper felt uneasiness bubble up to the surface. Bill never just sounded scared or upset about things that weren't important. "You have to tell me, and you know it," he pointed out, voice surprisingly level.

Bill sucked in a breath. "My powers are pretty vital to my being, kid..." he said quietly, eyes low. He opened up an old notebook of Dipper's and absentmindedly flipped through it. Most of the pages were covered in notes and doodling, but some of them were drawn and shaded rather extravagantly all over. "These are pretty good," he commented with a broken smile.

Dipper's eyes widened. "Bill. What does that mean?" He was sure he already knew.

Bill bit the inside of his cheek so hard he could taste the metallic tang of his own blood. "It means exactly what it sounds like. There's about a fifty percent chance that my plan will backfire and once my powers run out completely, I'm going to cease to exist. Neither demon nor human. Neither in your world or my own. No heaven, no hell. And there's no back doors to this, Pine Tree. I can't preserve what won't exist anymore." His voice trailed away to nothing, vermilion eyes glimmering somberly. "But hey, it could've been worse. Had I stayed in the Mindscape, it would've caved in on me eventually and I would've been reduced to dust anyway. At least this way, it's not a one hundred percent guarantee."

Dipper was silent. He had no real words to say, no response to what he'd just been informed of. So both of them simply remained quiet until Dipper stopped the car on the side of the road, engine still running. He kept his gaze on what was ahead of him. "Mabel was right. You might actually be dying..." he whispered, disbelieving.

Bill chuckled. "Kid, quit it with your petty sense of human empathy. And calm your heartbeat while you're at it." He could read every thought swimming in Dipper's head like words on a page. It was almost saddening actually. Having someone worry for him was something that in the entirety of his long life, Bill had never experienced. He wasn't sure whether or not to laugh at it or to promise Dipper he was fine. He sighed. Having a soul made him really confused by just about everything Dipper did, whether it was his back and forth feelings towards the blonde or simply the feeling Bill himself had around the other. Dipper used to seem so easy to figure out, every little decision he made, every word he said, all calculated and planned out in Bill's mind before Dipper even had a chance to come up with his reactions on his own. But that was when Bill knew absolutely everything before it even happened.

Now... Well, now he was just about as reactive as the brunette was, simply acting on impulse and instinct, like any other human. And honestly, it was that same feeling of cluelessness and fear that had his heart racing just as quickly as Dipper's was. Dipper's eyes met his, and both of them knew this, though neither of them wanted to acknowledge it. "We should be on our way back to the Shack. Mabel probably needs us," he said quietly in an effort to change the subject. And it worked. Bill nodded slightly, watching as Dipper placed a hand on the wheel. He wanted to ask the brunette why he was even worried about some psychotic demon, but then he realized... Why did he care if Dipper worried for him or not? He felt his ears begin to burn in frustration and confusion, and turned his head away from the other. He knew he liked Dipper. He knew he really liked Dipper.

Dipper turned the car around, back towards town. He could feel the demon's burning gaze on him until he finally looked away. He glanced the other way, not quite sure what to say or what to do, so he didn't. He didn't speak. Neither did Bill. He just drove, knowing it'd be a while before they were back home. That gave him quite a bit of time to think. Time to think about Bill's possible impending death and the way his heart rate spiked near the demon, even when he was acting like this. Time to think about the overwhelming urge to stop the car. The urge to grab Bill's shoulders and crash their lips together. And why on earth he wanted to tell Bill he wasn't allowed to die before he did, because he just wouldn't allow it. He knew he liked Bill. He knew he really liked Bill.

What they lacked, in simple terms, was a mutual understanding of their shared feelings towards one another. Because neither knew exactly how to approach the other.

Dipper knelt down with a sigh, reaching out and picking up some tacky looking snow globe with the Mystery Shack inside it. He watched the kids who'd carelessly dropped it run off towards the attraction hall, where he could hear Bill's distinct voice very enthusiastically explaining everything inside. "That over there is the longest strand of yarn, totally not stolen and certainly never before used! And to answer the question on your minds, yes. I do have a glowing eye on my forehead. Thank you for asking. Does it read minds? Why, of course it does!" Dipper scoffed, standing up. He spun on his heels and stepped forward, only to collide with a much smaller figure than himself.

Both of them stumbled backwards, and Dipper felt the globe slip out of his hand. Frantic, the person he'd crashed into reached out and grabbed it, cheeks stained pink with embarrassment. "I'm so sorry!" a feminine voice exclaimed, and he could see her shoulders were stiff and her thin red lips were pulled into a grimace. Dipper steadied himself, focusing his gaze on her. He knew he didn't recognize her, but he had to admit she was rather pretty. Her obsidian hair curled softly around her sharp features and cascaded down until it reached her hips. Lovely coffee eyes stared up into his own with worry, almost as if she'd expected him to yell at her.

Dipper smiled warmly, reaching out a hand. "Oh, no. It was my fault," he said apologetically, noting the fact that she wore quite a bit of winter attire. He found that strange, but he supposed everybody had reasons for the things they did. The woman, likely in her mid twenties based on her appearance, seemed to ease up. She placed the snow globe in his palm, gloved fingers grazing his skin softly.

"Has anyone ever told you what nice eyes you have?" she asked with a tilt of her head, hands clasped together behind her back.

Dipper chuckled awkwardly, turning to place the globe back on a shelf where it belonged. "Ah, um.. No, actually," he replied, spinning around to face her again. He really wasn't sure how to respond. But luckily, he didn't really have to say anything more. Bill stepped into the room, looking smug. He pocketed some tips - quite a bit actually - and wrapped an arm around Dipper's shoulders. "I'm done for the day, Pine Tree," he said with a grin, which dropped when his eyes came to rest on the woman, whom Dipper still did not know the name of. "Who's this?"

The woman's smile grew wider and she shook her head. "I'll have to be seeing you some other time, Dipper," she cooed, stepping back. "I'll be in town a while." She waved, turning and walking away. Both Bill and Dipper watched her, though Bill didn't seem nearly as chipper as the other. She closed the door behind her and Mabel threw her arms up.

"Okay, closing time! Anyone still in the Shack that isn't related to me and/or dating my brother, please be on your way!" she yelled, pointing towards the exit. About two people were forced to leave, neither looking very wooed by all the 'mystical' attractions.

Dipper and Bill both scowled at the sound of 'dating my brother.' Dipper rolled his eyes, deciding it was best not to argue with her, but she could clearly read his expression. "I'm sorry, soon to be dating my brother," she corrected, smiling triumphantly. Bill ignored her, turning towards Dipper. "Who was that?" he asked, eyes narrowed slightly.

Dipper shrugged. "I don't know. Just some girl," he replied nonchalantly, turning towards the other room.

Bill followed after him, a dissatisfied look on his face. "I don't like her," he muttered, crossing his arms. Dipper huffed, turning to face the blonde with a raised brow.

"How childish can you get?"

Bill glared at him, swiping his bangs back over the eye on his forehead, which stopped glowing without people there to marvel at its strangeness. "Ooh, you have such pretty eyes. Oh my gosh, really? That's so cute. Nobody's said that to me before," Bill mocked their voices, gesturing in annoyance.

Dipper scowled, tapping one of his feet. Mabel just groaned, hands on her temples. "Just make out already. Oh my god!" she cried impatiently, walking off on her own with her arms held up towards the ceiling. "All this dancing around the big issue is driving me crazy!"

Dipper chose to ignore that. "What's it matter to you if some girl I don't even know says something kinda nice to me?"

Bill's eyes flashed red. "It matters because I want to say it!"

"Then say it!"

Both of them went quiet, just staring at each other. Neither really knew what to do, or even how to respond to the other. Bill opened his mouth to say something, face painted scarlet. Dipper didn't want to hear it. He spun around, taking off towards the staircase. He stomped upwards, fists clenched at his sides. He needed to stop this, all this back and forth with his emotions. One second he'd never even consider a relationship with someone as unstable as Bill. Then the next he's admitting to himself how much he really wanted to try it anyway. Regardless, he had some steam to go blow off. Who did Bill think he was anyway, getting angry for something Dipper couldn't even control?

"You have really nice eyes, Pine Tree. You're really damn confusing, too. And I can't seem to figure you out anymore," Bill said as his voice grew more and more desperate, staring off after the brunette, who froze for a moment before shaking his head and disappearing up the stairs. He sighed heavily, eyes closed and jaw clenched in frustration. "The Mindscape just keeps on looking better..." he muttered, slumping his shoulders.

He could hear Mabel laughing. "Ah, young love," she mused, poking her head through the doorway. "Such a beautiful thing."

Bill glared at her a moment. "I wouldn't know anything about that, but I know this is really frustrating," he retorted, glancing up at the stairs.

Mabel stepped into the hall, beaming. "Now you know how I feel looking at you guys. But you like my brother, right? I mean, it's obvious, but confirmation would be great."

A few moments passed. "Yeah...?" Bill said questioningly, almost as if suspicious.

"Then just do what you do best." She leaned back against the wall, head tilted just slightly to the side.

Bill was interested. "And what would that be?"

"Pester him until you get what you want." She chuckled. "Isn't that what you usually do?"

Bill really couldn't argue with that. He exhaled, making his way up the stairs and after Dipper. Mabel saluted him teasingly as he left her behind. He opened their bedroom door, noting the fact that the brunette wasn't there. He furrowed his brow, stepping inside. He closed the door behind him. "Pine Tree?" he asked, quite certain he wouldn't receive an answer. And he was right. None came. He felt his blood begin to boil. Had that demon somehow gotten to him when Bill was too upset to notice her? Surely not. His powers hadn't been so dulled that wouldn't be able to sense her presence. Probably, at least. He didn't really know the extent of his abilities anymore.

His entire being felt like it had been set ablaze. He grit his teeth, choking back the urge to use his powers at all. He took a deep breath, slowly letting the flames inside of him flicker out. Handling anger was not something Bill enjoyed doing, but he couldn't afford not to. He stepped forward, only to be met with the black figure of the demon that kept invading Dipper's dreams. "You're who's been getting in my way?" she asked, looking up at him with those nearly blinding white eyes. Bill stepped back, still forcing down his fury.

"Yeah. I am." Bill grinned, eyes turning red. "And I'd appreciate it if you got the hell out of my town."

The figure laughed chaotically, her hollow voice echoing off the walls. "Your town?!" she exclaimed, gesturing all around. "In case you hadn't noticed, you lost your claim over this place ten years ago." She pointed a clawed finger at him, a glowing smile emerging on her face. Bill stiffened, and she stepped towards him until he could feel her nail digging into his chest. "But you just keep on doing what you're doing. Keep on playing house with your little pets. Keep on getting close. Keep on earning their trust. After all, humans will die for the things they care about, won't they?" her voice carried something Bill didn't like.

He felt that same heat boiling just beneath the surface of his skin, just begging to be unleashed. But there was nothing he could do to her, and he knew this. She wasn't in the same dimension as he was. As far as he could tell, she was simply projecting her image and voice at him because she wanted to screw with him. Even without all of his powers, he would've been able to detect her before she'd even appeared had she occupied the same realm as him. "Is that a threat?" he snarled, leaning so close to her that he could feel the choking aura radiating from her body. It felt like ice against him, but he didn't move back, keeping his eyes locked with hers. "You should think about who you're talking to."

The shadow grabbed his chin in her clawed hands, yanking him forward so they were nose to nose. "I don't think I do," she whispered, holding him in place for a few moments before shoving him away. He stumbled backwards, kneading his jaw with a hand. He could hear her incessant laughter as her image faded away, and he bottled the urge to quite literally burst into flames. There was a tap on the stained glass window beside the bed, and it opened.

"What the hell are you doing?" the annoyed voice of Dipper asked as the brunette poked his head through. He grinned at the relieved expression Bill wore. "Worried about me, are you?" he repeated Bill's words from earlier that day, looking just as smug as the blonde had saying it.

Bill took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Extremely," he murmured, stepping towards the window. Dipper was surprised by his honesty, but said nothing more and scooted away from the window to allow Bill through. "I can't believe you still sit out here," Bill commented. He situated himself beside the brunette, glancing down at his hands.

Dipper held a scrawled all over notebook above his lap. Hastily written in blue ink at the top were the words 'CHAPTER THREE?' Beneath that was some planning and a couple paragraphs. Bill looked back up at Dipper, whom he then realized was wearing the glasses he'd been given, and he had a pen tucked behind one of his ears. "What's it about?" he asked, deciding to keep the encounter he'd just had to himself.

Dipper shrugged. "A demon." He didn't want Bill knowing much about it yet.

"Your protagonist is a demon?" Bill questioned skeptically. People didn't typically think of a 'good guy' when they thought of the word demon. Quite the opposite, actually.

Dipper smirked, closing the tablet and sitting it beside him. "I was going more for the antihero approach, to be honest," he responded with a shrug. "A character with a flawed sense of morality is way more interesting anyway."

Bill chuckled, looking up at the sky. It was beginning to get dark, stars giving off dim light in the reddened sky. "Boy, when you said I was the main character, you weren't kidding. Flawed morality, huh?"

Dipper hummed in reply. This was actually rather nice. He turned his gaze to meet Bill's. The blonde stared back at him intently, thoughts swimming around in his head. Dipper felt his ears begin to heat up, embarrassed. It always felt strange to be looked at like that, like Bill was trying to decode something within him. "If I leaned forward right now, would you move away?" the demon asked quietly, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them again to focus on the other.

Dipper opened his mouth, not quite sure what to say. "I..." He paused, giving his answer a little thought. "No."

Bill smiled slightly, moving closer to Dipper. The two were only inches apart, and he could feel Dipper's breath against his cheek. _But you just keep on doing what you're doing. Keep on playing house with your little pets._ Bill froze, mouth hung open a bit in shock. That was the last voice he'd wanted to hear right then. Angry, Bill tilted his head to the side and closed the gap between himself and the brunette. _Keep on getting close._ Bill's eyes flashed scarlet and he kissed Dipper harder, pushing him down and taking his place above him. Dipper closed his eyes and ran his fingers through Bill's hair, oblivious to the sound ringing in the other's head. He groaned, parting his lips and allowing the blonde to shove his tongue into his mouth. _Keep on earning their trust._ Bill pulled away from the brunette, who was panting hard by then, eyes half lidded and staring up into Bill's own hazily.

 _After all, humans will die for the things they care about, won't they?_

At that point, Bill wasn't sure who she'd intended to kill. Him...

Or Dipper.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Dipper sighed, counting the money they'd made that day. A bit less than the day before, but what had he expected from a blazing hot Sunday afternoon? It was still summer, so they were sure to make enough to keep themselves afloat. And if they didn't somehow, he could always take a bit of money from Stan's hidden supply. The man had billions. Might as well put it to good use. And Bill had gold. Yeah, Dipper doubted they'd have any money issues for a long time. Or at all, to be honest. "I could probably live my whole life without even working on the money Stan's got locked away," Dipper muttered to himself, amused. Which reminded him...

How would his uncles respond when they saw Bill?

Dipper's eyes widened in realization, and he quickly picked up their earnings and shoved it into the safe. He ran off to find Bill, who was eyeing some stupid attraction in the gift shop. Dipper grabbed his arm and he spun around. "Pine Tree. What's got you looking all edgy?" Bill asked with a raise of his brow.

Dipper frowned. "They said they'd be back in a month. It's already been lo-"

"GRUNKLE STAN! GRUNKLE FORD!" Mabel shrieked from the other room. Dipper felt his eye twitch. Fantastic. Just what he needed. What was he even supposed to say when they saw Bill? Ford would probably pull a gun on him. And Stan... Would likely get out those stupid brass knuckles. Bill seemed to understand this, but he didn't look very worried about it.

From the hall, Dipper heard his uncles greet Mabel. Bill leaned into the brunette's ear. "I've got this, kid. Don't stress it," he whispered, spinning on his heel. Mabel led the two older men into the gift shop by their hands, grinning cheerfully. "And then we got a new housemate. And Dipper got a new boyfriend," she cooed joyfully, gesturing towards Bill. Did she really not understand how horrible a situation this was?

"Housemate?" Ford asked suspiciously, eyeing the smirk on Bill's face.

"Wait, boyfriend?" Stan thankfully seemed oblivious to anything else that had been said. "Since when are you gay?"

Bill snorted in an effort not to laugh, glancing at Dipper, whose face was scarlet. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "I'm not. I don't really... care about all that," he mumbled, avoiding eye contact. He really preferred keeping the whole figuring out that he didn't mind genders in college. Or how, for that matter. "Can we not talk about that?" Bill raised his brow. He could hear Dipper's thoughts pretty clearly, and boy was he shocked.

"Damn, kid. Never would've guessed you of all people would be the type for-" he made little quotations with his fingers. "Experimentation."

Dipper forced himself to smile, jabbing his elbow hard into Bill's ribs. The blonde laughed at the pain, rubbing that spot with a hand.

Ford narrowed his eyes. "Who is this, Dipper?" he asked, one hand in his pocket. Both Dipper and Bill were well aware that he'd recognized the demon's voice.

So Bill didn't even bother hiding it. He placed a hand on his chest, feigning a hurt expression. "Already forgotten about me, Fordsy? I'm wounded," he said with a fake pout. Dipper grabbed Bill by his arm just as Ford pulled his gun out of his pocket, yanking him to the side. Ford grit his teeth.

"Why the hell did you bring a monster into the Shack?!" Stan questioned, watching Bill's bored expression with suspicious eyes. "It was hard enough to get rid of him before!"

Dipper shook his head. "It's not like that! He's human. Or... mostly human," he defended, placing a hand over Ford's gun so he didn't do anything rash. "And the deal was he could stay in this realm so long as no one gets hurt. And he's obligated to answer all of my questions. I've got him under control, alright?"

Bill frowned. "I wouldn't say that I'm under-" Dipper stomped on his shoe, smiling nervously. The blonde jolted, this time not quite so amused by the pain. Ford watched them with uncertainty. He still didn't trust the demon.

He lowered his gun. "Alright, Cipher. Why'd you make an agreement like that in the first place? There must be some sort of benefit for you," he said quizzically, raising his eyebrow.

Bill crossed his arms, grinning. "I only have to answer questions Pine Tree asks me. That was the deal," he retorted slyly, sure he was annoying Ford to no end. Which didn't really help his case, but like hell he was going to tell that stupid old man that he may actually be deteriorating every second he was there. He wouldn't give Ford the satisfaction of knowing such information.

Ford narrowed his eyes, finger tightening around the trigger of the gun. Dipper noticed this and pressed his palm against the barrel, fingers coiling around it. "Completely under control," he said again, anxious.

Mabel picked then to pipe up. "Yeah, Grunkle Ford. He hasn't even tried anything bad. And he's been super helpful in the gift shop, too. The customers love him!" she exclaimed, beaming brightly. She nudged Stan's side. "You should see all the money he's been bringing in with his dumb magic-y eye thing."

Stan's expression it up. "We're keeping him," he said quickly, his attention immediately caught by the mention of money. Most of it went to Soos now, but it was the principal of the thing.

Ford spun around to face him, gun held down at his side, and much less threatening now that it wasn't pointed towards Bill. "But Stan. He's a-"

Stanley waved a hand. "If Dipper's got it handled, he's got it handled," he said with a shrug. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go unpack our loot." He turned, grabbing his suitcases off the ground and hauling them upstairs. Mabel followed after him, helping him out some. Ford looked back at Bill disdainfully, pocketing his gun. He took a step forward, pointing an accusing finger at the demon.

"I've got my eyes on you. You may have fooled everyone else, but I'm not falling for it," he hissed, expression cold. Bill just grinned, giving a slight shrug in response. Dipper laughed anxiously, grabbing the blonde's arm and leading him away. Ford just wouldn't let that be the end of it, though. "I can't believe you're letting him trick you again. Don't you remember what he did to the town last time? What he did to Mabel last time?"

Dipper froze, eyes darting towards Bill for a split second before focusing straight ahead again. He rolled his shoulders back, forcing himself to stay calm. "Perfectly, actually," he snarled, hand tightening around Bill's arm, which the demon quickly took note of. How dare Ford shove that into Dipper's face? How dare he even insinuate that Dipper would ever put Mabel in danger? There was a long few seconds of silence before the brunette stomped away, still dragging Bill along with him.

He let go of the blonde's arm as soon as they were in their room alone. Dipper forced himself not to slam the door before he collapsed on his own bed, too annoyed to do anything else that day. Bill sat down on the edge of the bed, fingers toying with Dipper's hair. "You wanna rant about it?" he asked with a teasing smile. "You might as well. You're kinda yelling in that head of yours already."

Dipper groaned, rolling onto his back. "Trying to tell me that I'm gonna get Mabel hurt..." he grumbled, brows furrowed. "Who the hell does he think he is?"

Bill laughed, leaning down so he was only an inch or two away from Dipper. "Well, do you think I'm gonna do anything terrible to Shooting Star?" He grinned.

Dipper rolled his eyes. "You can't even if you wanted to," he replied, a hand on the blonde's shoulder.

"Then I guess it doesn't matter, huh?" Bill cooed, letting his lips brush against Dipper's. The brunette's eyes fluttered closed and he pulled Bill further into the kiss. He was still rather angry, but he felt his nerves winding down pretty quickly. For someone that knew exactly what buttons he needed to press to piss Dipper off, Bill was fairly good at calming him down as well. He leaned back slightly, eyes narrow and focused on Dipper's own, which opened to meet his.

Dipper sighed, pulling the demon down by his shirt. He buried his nose into the other's neck. "I'm going to try and sleep.." he muttered softly.

Bill raised a brow, quietly letting Dipper do what he was doing. He supposed this was affection, something he still found rather strange, but pleasant nonetheless. "Kid. It's ten thirty," he replied in amusement, leaning downwards so Dipper was pinned beneath him. "And anyway, I can think of a couple things more enjoyable than sleep right now."

Dipper whistled. "Smooooth, man. Really," he retorted, chuckling. "Is sex just constantly on your mind?"

Bill tilted his head from side to side, as if giving the question some actual thought. "Well, to be honest, I still haven't quite gotten used to these human hormone things. The whole 'sometimes I want to tear you apart and other times I have zero drive to do anything of the sort' thing is extremely annoying. It's really starting to make sense why people are all so irrational and impulsive," he said with a slight shrug. "But hell, can you blame me? I've watched mankind obsess over it for an eternity and I wanna know what all the fuss is about."

Dipper shook his head. "Then you'll find out some other time. I wanna sleep," he mumbled, pushing Bill off of him to grab the blankets. Bill rolled his eyes, flipping the light switch near the bed and lying down beside Dipper.

"I guess it's a good thing we never bought another bed, huh?" he asked, getting comfortable where he lay. Dipper hummed, turning onto his side and closing his eyes. Now if he could just go one night without another one of those dreams.

But he wasn't that lucky.

Dipper opened his eyes, noting the fact that he was in the woods outside the Shack. He sighed. This again. Every night, it was the same thing, just in various other places. Once even in his dorm, and another time in the house he'd lived in as a child. This time, though... This time seemed different. He saw his sister, young and alone, sitting against the bark of a tree. She pulled her sweater down over her knees, shoving her head inside and sobbing quietly. Dipper stepped towards her, a hand reached out. "M-Mabel...?" he asked, voice barely audible. Her crying seemed to stop, and she shifted.

"Dipper?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah." He knew he shouldn't trust this. He knew this had to be a trick. And he was right.

Laughter erupted from his sister, and she pulled her sweater down to reveal her face. She was the same as always, except for her eyes, which were pure white and piercing into Dipper's own. He knew that she wasn't his sister. He stepped back, and she stood up. "Finally gonna apologize for what you did? You know, it's you're fault I ended up in that bubble in the first place," she growled, another voice echoing beneath Mabel's. Dipper knew both of them well.

He shook his head. "Shut up," he hissed, eyes narrowed with hatred.

"I just kept crying. And crying. And crying. Wishing you'd chase after me, wishing you'd come promise never to leave me," the voice of Mabel purred contemptuously, grinning wildly. Dipper covered his ears, eyes closed and body shaking with rage. It did him little good. Her voice simply grew louder. "At the beginning of the summer, he would've followed me to the edge of the earth. And now he won't even follow me outside of the house."

"Stop it!"

"What kind of brother are you, anyways?!"

"I SAID STOP IT!" Dipper cried, his voice ringing out in the otherwise calm woods. Laughter emitted from Mabel's mouth, chaotic and shrill. There was a piercing sound and Dipper's eyes opened. He looked up to see Bill in his now human form, teeth grit and holding Mabel up by the collar of her sweater. He had two or three of his fingers jammed in one of her eyes. Her mouth hung open in shock for a split second before she screeched in agony, deafeningly loud. She clawed at his arms, fingers lengthening into obsidian claws that cut deep into his skin.

He hissed in pain, digging his fingers further in. Dipper felt like he might vomit, his stomach churning at the mere sight, and he pressed a hand against his mouth to stop it. Bill yanked his hand back out with a blood-curdling snap, some sort of black sphere in his palm that oozed what appeared to be tar. Mabel, or rather, the demon inside of her, went silent. Her body hung limply from Bill's hand, single eye still glowing while the other had gone dark, empty and dripping thick black liquid. "Kid, did I ever tell you that the eyes are the literal gateway to the soul? Yeah, that's why it's just about the one thing I can't copy outside of the Mindscape. This-" he dropped the vile onyx sphere on the ground. "isn't a soul, but I'm sure you'd already figured that out."

Bill let Mabel's body fall to the ground, looking just as sick to his stomach as Dipper. The black goop seemed to seep into the ground, which began to rumble loudly, trembling. The blonde's eyes met Dipper's. "I pissed her off. Wake up," he ordered, stepping forward. Dipper blinked, feeling the ground shaking violently beneath him.

He swallowed the lump rising in his throat. "How?!" he asked, still frazzled from earlier.

Bill placed his hands on Dipper's shoulders, one of them stained black with the tar he had pulled out of the demon's eye, and the other bleeding heavily. "Calm down, kid. I can't be here any longer, so you've gotta wake up, alright? Just concentrate. I'm the master of this stuff," he assured.

Dipper took a deep breath. There was a shriek, and flames erupted from the ground near his feet. "Get your hands off him! HE'S MINE!" the shadow's voice cried out. Dipper flinched, his heart beating a thousand miles a minute. He couldn't keep his breathing level. Everything around him seemed to instill a new terror within him, one that he'd never experienced. Guilt buried for ten years resurfaced, mingling with the fear of impending death.

Bill shook him. "Kid! Look at me. Focus on me. She's been using these nightmares to chip at you until you break. You can't let her do that. You can't just let her beat you. If it were that easy, you wouldn't still be here," he yelled over the wailing, pointing towards his eyes, which kept fading from gold to gray, then back to gold. "Keep your eyes right here." He grabbed Dipper's wrist, pulling him away from the swirling flames attempting to swallow him whole.

"DON'T TOUCH WHAT DOESN'T BELONG TO YOU!"

Dipper forced his breathing to stay level, gaze focused on the blonde's. Bill grinned, looking proud. "And then you just-" He snapped his fingers.

Dipper shot upwards in his bed, gasping for air. He held one hand against his chest, heaving. Panicked, he turned his head back to see Bill still laying there, his eyes twitching beneath his lids and his jaw clenched, teeth grinding together. He held tight against his arm in his sleep, which quivered from the pain. Dipper reached a hand out towards him, only to realize the wounds were still bleeding and Bill didn't seem to be coming to. He darted up out of the bed, horrified. "Mabel!" He called, making a break for the bathroom to find something he could use to patch Bill up. Gauze. He made an uncertain face. It'd have to do for a bit, but if any of Bill's veins had been severed, he'd be done for if Dipper couldn't get him to the hospital.

"You alright, b-" Mabel froze as soon as her eyes landed on Dipper, who was desperately trying to apply enough pressure to get the bleeding to stop. "I've got this. You just help me get him into the car, alright?" she ordered, picking up the gauze and shoving Dipper out of the way. He nodded, watching her sit down beside the bed and start wrapping Bill's arm. He groaned, finally opening his eyes. They were a deep gray, almost black, and his face was a sickly pale.

He watched Mabel do her thing, eyes blurred and barely able to stay focused on her. "I've officially decided..." he rasped, shivering when Mabel tightened the gauze around his arm. "That pain isn't nearly as funny as it used to be.."

Dipper forced a slight laugh before Mabel gestured for him to come closer. "I'm gonna go start the car. You think you'll need any help getting him there?" she asked, looking up at her brother. Her expression was dire, more serious than either Bill or Dipper had ever really seen her. Something about people being in pain always brought that side of her about.

Dipper shook his head. "I'll be fine," he said, and she stood up to dart for the door. The room was silent for a moment, Bill just staring blankly at the wrap around his arm, which was already stained red. Dipper coiled an arm over his shoulders, helping him upwards and leading him towards the hallway. Bill staggered, dizzy from both magic drainage and blood loss, but Dipper did his best to keep him steady. Getting him down the stairs wasn't an easy task, though, and the brunette was forced to practically carry him out the door. Bill chuckled, voice clearly strained. "Hey, look who lost the noodle arms," he pointed out, eyes hardly even open.

Dipper helped him into the car. Mabel was already in the driver seat, the engine running and her fingers tapping the wheel anxiously. "I told Stan and he said he'd make sure Ford didn't make an ass of himself about it once we got back," she said with the slightest laugh. "And that's just about a direct quote." Dipper hummed, buckling his seat belt and closing the door. Bill furrowed his brows, eyes flickering between gold and gray. Dipper grit his teeth. Things were really starting to look bleak for the blonde.

"You told them you tried to commit suicide?!" Dipper whisper-yelled angrily, jaw clenched.

Bill shrugged, running his fingers along his injured arm. "Kid, my wrist was slit. What was I supposed to say when they asked?" He tilted his head to the side. "That a little demon girl grew claws and sliced open my arm when I ripped the essence out of her body?"

Dipper opened his mouth to argue, but had no response. He crossed his arms over his chest, grumbling to himself. "Great to see you acting like yourself again," he muttered, looking the other way.

Bill laughed, raising his brow. "Aww, were you worried for me?" he asked, one hand over his heart, as if touched. "That's sweet, Pine Tree. Really." Sarcasm dripped from his voice.

Dipper glared. "Fuck you," he hissed, grinding his teeth.

Bill leaned back against the hospital bed with a loud groan. "God, I wish," he huffed, waving his uninjured arm. "Seriously, it's getting horribly frustrating to keep putting effort into that whole situation while you're either A) completely oblivious to it, or B) avoiding it altogether." He frowned, eyes meeting Dipper's.

The brunette then noticed that his eyes had yet again changed. Where they'd still had a glimmer to them before, they were simply yellow. No gold and no glow to them anymore. Almost like a cat's, Dipper mused. He chose to ignore Bill's comment. "You need to stop using your powers."

Bill scoffed. "I didn't really have a choice this time, kid."

Dipper raised his brow. "And why's that?" he questioned, tapping his foot impatiently.

Bill ran his thumb along the bandages on his arm, not looking up at Dipper. "For the past month, she's been toying with you, trying to see what makes you tick. And she knows she's hit the nail on the head with Shooting Star. In simple terms, she's been playing you like a violin, and you've been letting her. The thing about it is, though... Only a dream demon would be able to do what she's done, yet I've never seen her before, let alone heard of her. I'm thinking now that after I was kicked out of the Nightmare Realm, she was created to be my replacement. But she's acting fast, maybe even irrationally. She's impatient, I can tell. The whole dimension must be in shambles by now, and if she can't get her hands on this one soon, it'll implode entirely and there will be nothing left of it," he explained, a hand on his chin. He had a distant expression on his face.

"But last night.. She was slipping into your head through that little dark place in your mind. All she had to do was get you so distraught that you'd break down right in front of her, and she'd take that as an opportunity to turn you into her personal puppet, pulling strings and using you as a means of taking this place over." Dipper glared at him when the word 'puppet' came into conversation, but remained silent and allowed him to continue. "That's why I intervened. She was breaking into the part of your head you don't want anyone to see, the part all you humans have. All your anger and jealousy and guilt; she was tapping into it. And it was working. You don't think it was strange that you couldn't wake up until I showed up? Usually you would've, because she hadn't damaged you enough to get in your head. But last night..."

Bill paused, running his fingers through his hair. He didn't look Dipper in the eye. "Pine Tree, you were well on your way to falling into a coma when I stepped in."

Dipper's eyes widened, jaw hung slightly agape.

This could not be happening.


	9. Chapter 9

**WARNING: NSFW**

 **Chapter Nine**

A couple weeks after the hospital incident, Bill seemed better than ever. He'd not experienced another magic meltdown since, and Mabel hadn't even asked about his last one. Dipper figured she'd simply assumed his blood loss had come from his power usage coming back to bite him. And he could live with that. He could live with her not knowing, even though he despised keeping secrets from her. He just wanted her to be safe. And as long as Dipper had his demonic issues taken care of, which he believed he did, then things would be fine. There was no need to worry her. So he didn't.

He grabbed a red hat from one of the higher shelves and handed it to the little girl that had asked for it. She smiled, then frowned as soon as her eyes touched the price. "I don't have that..." she said with a simper, digging into her pocket to pull out a few crumpled up dollar bills. She had to be no older than seven.

Dipper waved a hand, laughing good-naturedly. "Don't worry about it," he said, pulling his wallet from his pocket. "Just take it." The little girl smiled enthusiastically, running off towards a woman watching Bill explain some stupid, crazy attraction. Dipper scoffed, turning towards the counter and handing Mabel some money. "Here. Stan would throw a fit if I just gave it away." Mabel nodded happily, taking it from his hands and putting it into the register.

"Could you go check on Bill to be sure he isn't terrifying the masses?" she asked jokingly, looking towards him. "I would, but-" She pointed at a man coming towards the counter. Dipper hummed, adjusting the cap on his head so it cast a shadow over his eyes. Mabel gave another slight nod, grinning merrily as the customer approached the counter. She greeted him with a cheerful hello, taking the items he handed her. Dipper smiled softly, turning the other way. He leaned against the doorway, watching with interest as Bill painted a rather extravagant tale to go along with some of the ridiculous attractions.

The blonde glanced at Dipper in the middle of his little speech, grinning. "And that concludes your tour of the Mystery Hall. Exit's on the left," he said after a while, pointing towards the door Dipper was standing in. The brunette moved as soon as the first person approached, stepping towards Bill. "This job's easy. I'm a professional liar, kid."

Dipper rolled his eyes. "I'm well aware," he said with a smirk. Bill knew that smirk pretty well.

He huffed. "This again?" Dipper chuckled, leaning into his ear. He'd gotten rather annoyed with the demon for his constant hinting - if it could even be called that - at all the things he wanted to do to Dipper. So this was kinda the brunette's way of getting back at him. Just about everyday in the past week, Dipper would find him in the worst moments and whisper some horrible, dirty thing to him, then walk away. Only once. Just because Bill's reactions were always perfect. Always left standing there with his jaw hung open slightly and his face red. Also, much to Bill's humiliation and Dipper's uncensored delight, the brunette almost always liked to tease him with a scenario in which Bill was the one being pinned down and whimpering.

"I'll bet you'd like that, wouldn't you?" Dipper purred, loving just how easily he could get under Bill's skin. He pressed his lips softly against the blonde's neck for a second, then moved away. He spun on his heels, leaving Bill with a blush on his face and thoughts it didn't take mind reading powers to know were swirling in his head.

"Hey, bro! Can you take care of the register for a while? Pacifica texted me and she sounds really upset," Mabel shouted towards him. "I'd ask Soos but he's still not back." Dipper shrugged, giving a nod and taking her place behind the counter. he wondered why Soos hadn't come home yet. But he supposed he somewhat understood. His abuelita had recently passed and he'd spent all of his time mourning with Melody and her family. Poor guy had taken it pretty hard.

Dipper sat down in the chair, smiling as customers scurried about the place. Bill followed him into the gift shop, looking like a robber, his expression was so smug. He leaned on the counter. "Guess you're kinda stuck there for a bit, aren't ya?" he asked with a sneer as soon as Mabel had left.

Dipper narrowed his eyes. "What do you want, Bill?"

Bill laughed, pressing a finger up to his lips. "That's easy," he cooed. "Oh, look. A customer." He pointed the other way, and Dipper begrudgingly looked at the woman standing in front of him, eyes focused on the change she was counting in her palm.

He smiled as best he could, pretending to be oblivious as Bill knelt down behind the counter, still grinning maniacally. The woman laid a few items in front of Dipper, unaware of what was happening, much to Dipper's relief. _Don't. You. Dare_ , he thought angrily, forcing himself to look cheerful as he rang up the woman's purchase.

Bill had crawled beneath the counter, flashing a smile up at Dipper. _Why not? Only seems fair_. His voice echoed in Dipper's head. The brunette wanted to stop him, but he knew Bill would find a way to draw attention to what was happening. So he grit his teeth, forcing himself not to react at all when Bill's hand trailed up his leg. _Just keep on doing that, kid. I'm gonna be here a while._ He felt Bill press a finger against the button of his jeans, tracing a finger down his zipper teasingly. _I think I'm entitled to some payback._

Dipper bit the inside of his cheek, handing the woman her bag. "That'll be $17.50," he said as politely as he could manage, and she shrugged, pocketing the quarters in her hand and simply handing him a twenty. Something warm pressed in between Dipper's legs. He gulped, looking down to see that it was Bill's lips. The brunette shifted, taking the money from the woman and opening the cash register. He pulled a couple dollars from inside, picking her change out as well. Bill's tongue swiped over his jeans. Dipper fidgeted uncomfortably where he sat, cheeks slightly pink. "Your change, ma'am. We hope to see you here at the Mystery Shack again." He laughed nervously, and she eyed him, either suspiciously or worriedly.

The woman nodded after a moment, putting her money in her purse and turning away from him. He watched her leave, biting his lip as his zipper was pulled down. _Seriously, Bill. Someone's going to notice_ , he thought fearfully, squirming. He glanced down at Bill, who had an unsympathetic expression on his face.

 _Guess you should've thought of that, huh?_

He tugged at Dipper's boxers as well, and the brunette snapped his head back up so he could look at anything else. The shelves, customers milling about the place, stupid posters all over the walls. Bill wrapped a hand around his member. The brunette flinched at the touch, willing his gaze to stay upwards. Bill's thumb rubbed the head all too gently, and he laughed within Dipper's mind. _You know kid, it was kinda cute when you were just denying me out of that silly human sense of right and wrong you seem to cling so desperately to._

He trailed his tongue upwards, starting at the base and not stopping until he reached the very tip. _But when you start doing it consciously..._ He pressed his lips to it, and Dipper shivered, giving a slight gasp. _Well, that just isn't going to fly._ He took an inch or two of Dipper's length into his mouth, looking up at the now very aroused and squirming brunette, trying desperately to keep his breathing level and his back straight in his seat. He looked down, and then immediately regretted it. Bill had started to bob his head, brows furrowed and hands holding Dipper's hips down on the seat. He pushed down a little further each time, taking a little bit more in whenever he felt he could.

"Hello, Dipper," a sweet voice greeted, and Dipper looked up with his eyes wide and his heart beating out of his chest. It was the girl he'd bumped into a few weeks prior. Had he given her his name? Well, he must've if she knew it, he supposed. She tilted her head to the side, a worried expression on her face. "Are you okay?" Dipper chuckled awkwardly, glancing in the other direction for a second before choking down his pride and meeting her eyes.

He nodded all too quickly. "Yeah. I'm fine."

The girl didn't seem very convinced of this. "You're face is all red," she pointed out with a frown. "And you're sweating." Bill's laughter erupted in Dipper's head, and he cringed.

"I'm not feeling very well, that's all," he muttered, looking away. Bill dragged his tongue up the shaft yet again, swirling it around the tip to test what kind of reaction he'd draw from the brunette. Dipper gave a heavy sigh, forcing that to be the only sound he made. "I'm fine," he said when the girl's expression became a little more concerned. Bill began to slowly let Dipper's cock back into his mouth, using one of his hands to rub up and down whatever he couldn't manage to take. Dipper's breath hitched, feeling the heat of the action begin to rise in his stomach.

The girl's eyes flashed towards the counter for a moment, but she didn't say anything if she'd even come close to figuring it out. Dipper forced a smile. "Well, if you say so," she replied, turning on her heels. "I guess I'll be seeing you. Hopefully at a better time." She opened the front door, then turned her head back to look at him. "My name's Beth, by the way. I don't think I told you last time." Dipper nodded as she disappeared through the exit, groaning quietly and letting his shoulders slump back down slightly.

 _Lovely girl_ , Bill thought sarcastically. _I don't want her near you_. He pulled back and ever so softly let his pointed canines scrape against Dipper's flesh. The brunette bit his tongue to keep from moaning, sliding down in his seat just a bit, almost pleadingly. Bill scoffed inwardly, looking up at Dipper and smirking. _You're all mine. Got it?_ His hand stroked a little bit faster, testing Dipper's limits, which he really seemed to be reaching. When the brunette was too busy trying to keep himself from panting to respond, Bill frowned. He stopped, and Dipper scraped his fingernails against the counter top, his breath catching in his throat.

 _Are you not?_

Dipper bit his lip. He'd been so close, too. _I'm going to get you back for this, you know_ , he growled in his own mind. Bill shrugged, pressing his lips against the tip. He took only that much of Dipper's length back into his mouth, teasing it with his tongue.

 _That's not an answer_ , he cooed silently, his hand lightly moving up and down Dipper's member in the most infuriatingly slow pace. Dipper took a long, slow breath. "Fuck.." he hissed, voice barely even a whisper.

He swallowed the lump in his throat, clenching his jaw. Y-yes, he finally conceded, and Bill's hand grew the slightest bit faster. Dipper groaned, then remembered where he was and pressed a hand against his mouth. _Yes. I'm all yours, okay? Just-_ Dipper's breath caught as Bill's mouth was removed from his cock. "Oh, god. Please," he breathed, his forehead falling against the wooden counter. Bill pressed the flat of his tongue against the base, licking upwards slowly. Dipper shuddered, the rush of his blood and his heart racing making him lightheaded. Bill flicked his tongue over the slit upon reaching the tip, and Dipper felt himself beginning to fall apart in his hands.

 _Oh, this is too cute, Pine Tree. I could leave you right now, just like this_ , Bill purred in Dipper's head, looking up at him in amusement. He pressed his lips against the shaft, leaving warm and teasing kisses up and down the brunette's skin. And that seriously seemed to make Dipper reach the end of his rope. He'd been far too patient up to this point, and Bill really had pushed him too far. He grit his teeth, choosing not to respond to what Bill had said. The demon didn't really seem to care either way, opening his mouth, his breath hot on Dipper's flesh. The brunette pressed a hand against the back of Bill's head, fingers tangled tightly in his hair. Bill seemed about to say something snide, but Dipper pushing his head down a little less than gently stopped him.

Dipper grunted, barely restraining it enough so nobody nearby heard him. A boy, likely in his teens, turned towards the counter. "Does this come in any other color?" he asked, holding up a tee with a question mark on it, identical to the one Soos still wore on occasion.

Dipper shook his head, as his voice really seemed to be betraying him, easing his grip on Bill's hair so he could move a little more freely. The brunette looked down at Bill triumphantly to see that his eyes had gone wide in shock and he was surprisingly being rather obedient. He began to bob his head back and forth the way Dipper had wanted from the beginning, but still held onto a bit of his defiance. His hands pushed down on Dipper's hips, denying him the ability to simply rut into the blonde's mouth. _You know what, kid? I like your enthusiasm_ , he mused inwardly, looking up at the other with devious vermilion eyes. Dipper bit down on his swollen lip, leaving teeth marks on his own skin and causing it to turn what almost looked purple from where Bill was sitting.

Honestly, Dipper looked absolutely ruined. Sweat beading on his forehead, a stormy expression on his face, and his eyes fogged over from pleasure. Bill quite liked that look on Dipper. And he really would've liked to have been touched by the brunette looking like that, since it seemed that this was beginning to have an effect on his own body as well. He felt Dipper's muscles beginning to tighten up and purposely traced his tongue over one of the brunette's veins. He was close. Both of them were very aware of this. Bill decided that he'd be somewhat merciful, despite the fact that he wanted to just hold the other in place the way he was until he climaxed.

But that look on Dipper's face was absolutely intoxicating.

The demon wrapped his arms around Dipper's waist, pulling him forward and increasing his speed to a point that seemed almost surreal to the brunette. He furrowed his brows, closing his eyes at the slight discomfort he felt when Dipper ground his body upwards, pushing his cock further into the blonde's mouth. Both of his hands grabbed at the back of Bill's neck, dragging him down as far as the demon could possibly bear. He rolled his hips slowly, one final time. His body trembled, curling over so his head rested against the counter as the coils in his abdomen released. Heat washed over his body and he came, breathing a long, low sigh of relief. Seconds passed, and Dipper let go of Bill, who pulled back to catch his breath. A string of pearlescent liquid connected his lips to the tip of Dipper's length.

Slightly embarrassed by that fact, Bill leaned forward and licked it away, swallowing what was left on his tongue. Dipper breathed much more contentedly now, fingers toying languidly in Bill's hair. He sat up in his seat, looking fatigued and ready to collapse. He realized that he had stopped even giving an effort to put on an act for the people around him, but nobody seemed to notice. They'd all been caught up in doing what they'd been. Some had left, and a few others had replaced them. Dipper didn't really care, regardless. He was far too satisfied with the last few minutes to care. And too tired as well. Bill chuckled from beneath the counter, buttoning the brunette's jeans back up for him. He figured he might as well. Dipper didn't look up to doing anything anymore, even something so simple as that.

He opened up a drawer next to Dipper's legs, pulling out an armful of various Mystery Shack merchandise. And he stood up, grinning like nothing had happened. "I'm gonna go restock the shelf over there," he said oh-so subtly, gesturing with a tilt of his head. "Looks like it's already been picked clean." Before turning and leaving though, he leaned down into Dipper's ear. "I think I'm looking forward to seeing you 'get back at me'," he purred, laughing as he walked away from Dipper, who blushed and chewed on his now rather sore and bruised lip. He fidgeted in his seat. That just happened.

And Dipper let it happen.

He resisted the urge to bang his head on the counter top. _How could this day get any more-_ Dipper heard his phone beep, telling him he'd just received a text message. Grumbling, he reached into his pocket and turned it on. Mabel. He opened the message, eyes going wide. His expression darkened from lazy annoyance to absolute horror. In all capitals, the text read:

PACIFICA'S GETTING MARRIED. DROP EVERYTHING AND GET OVER HERE. NOW!


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

Dipper closed the car door behind him, running up the front steps and knocking on the large ornate door leading into Northwest Manor, which had been bought back from McGucket very cheaply when he up and decided it was too confusing to find his way around in. The crazy old man instead lived in a much smaller, but plenty nice house by the lake. It was near his son, whom he had finally reconnected with after thirty years, so he was certainly content with it.

Dipper shifted from foot to foot anxiously, opening and closing his hands. Bill walked from the car behind him, slower and much less concerned. "Kid, calm down. Maybe your sister's just overreacting. She does that sometimes, you know," he said in a bored tone, stopping in front of the door, which still had yet to be opened. Dipper frowned, clenching his jaw. Bill rolled his eyes with a groan, reaching out a hand and pressing a button that jutted out from the stone siding. "Ringing the doorbell is probably a pretty smart idea, stupid," he pointed out, pocketing his hands.

After what felt like an eternity to Dipper and a blink of an eye to Bill, the door was opened by one of the many butlers that worked in the Northwest mansion. "Do come i-" he'd started. But Dipper had already pushed past him, darting for Pacifica's room. Bill sighed, following after him. He pinched the bridge of his nose, watching the brunette disappear down one of the long corridors. He strode along behind Dipper, turning down the corner he'd seen him go. The only problem was as soon as he did, he noted that Dipper was gone. Annoyed that the brunette had left him so quickly, he made his way about the place with wary eyes that skimmed the lying walls of the place. "Hanging pictures of every single thing you tell the town you've done," Bill grumbled under his breath, glancing around.

A smirk crawled onto his features. "They're just asking to get caught, aren't they?" He chuckled to himself, turning down another hall. Dipper was still out of sight, and if there was any place in Gravity Falls Bill didn't know how to navigate quite that well, it was Northwest Manor. All the hallways looked the same, and he was sure he'd seen that painting at least a couple of times in his search. This reeked of the supernatural, he knew. But he feigned cluelessness, turning yet again. And when he did, he was met with exactly what he'd expected to see. Same hallway, same paintings, same vase on the same fucking table. He rolled back his shoulders, stepping carefully and coldly about the place. He had a hunch that he knew who was doing this.

Someone clicked their tongue behind him. "Bill Cipher, glad to see you're still alive and well," the voice of the dream demon behind him purred teasingly.

Bill laughed, turning to face her. "As I always am," he remarked with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Anything in particular you want from me today?"

The demon hummed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Feeling generous, are we? Alright, I'll make this quick." The black smoke-like aura rising at her feet and dissipating at her sides curled and puffed about, making her look more ominous than Bill seemed to be treating her. She stepped towards him, and he felt a chill unintentionally crawl up his spine. Her presence felt like ice, as if just being near her made the temperature of his very blood begin to sink lower. "You're becoming a real nuisance to me, Cipher. And I'm here to very politely ask that you stop."

Bill raised his brow, curious vermilion eyes searching her nonexistent expression. "Oh, are you now?" he questioned cautiously, a hand against his jaw. "What's in it for me?" He pulled his lips into a thin frown, skeptical but interested.

The shadow placed a hand on her hip, blank eyes narrowed contemptuously. "Is it not obvious? You get to see this world crumble in demonic hands. Your goal from the beginning will finally come to fruition." She stepped towards him. "Madness. Absolute chaos. I mean, that's what you'd wanted, right?" She stared at him, silent, expectant. A few moments passed. He began to laugh, voice bouncing off the walls. "Are you mocking me?!" the silhouette cried furiously, her body seeming to grow colder, if that was even possible.

Bill shook his head, voice dying down finally. "Oh, wouldn't dream of it," he hissed, expression predatory. "Do you really think I'm that stupid? Don't underestimate me because of the form I'm in now, got it? I'm well aware that there's no room for me in a world like that anymore, which is fine by me. I don't want a place in whatever it is you're trying to create." The blonde grinned deviously, flashing his unusually sharp teeth at her. "Not unless it's the throne." He leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "Besides, I'm starting to grow a bit fond of this place. Boring, but it suits human needs to a tee. I hate to say it, but I probably wouldn't be able to function very well in the Nightmare Realm anymore." He shrugged the shoulder that wasn't pressed up against the wall.

The demon watched him, growing angrier and angrier each second he spoke. And being the arrogant man he was, Bill just had to drive her to the edge. "But it's just as well. At least this dimension isn't on its way to ruin," he went on with an icy expression, voice losing its boisterous pitch and lowering into a more serious tone.

Growling, the demon stomped towards him, leaving midnight black flames wherever she stepped. She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, yanking him downwards so they were eye to eye. "Maybe not, but you certainly are," she snarled, hands shaking with utmost rage. And then a smile grew across her face. "I mean, where else do you think your powers are feeding into?" Bill was silent, stone faced. She just laughed at him, sensing the fear rising beneath the surface of his skin like a balloon. She placed a razor sharp, obsidian claw on his chest. "And you know what I'm going to do with them once they're all mine?" Bill didn't respond, dread weighing in his stomach.

"I'm going to tear down everything you're trying to keep safe. I'm going to burn down the town with everyone in it. Oh, but I'll keep all the people on that precious wheel of yours alive a little bit longer. And you wanna know what I'm going to do to them? I'm going to rip them all apart, limb by limb, one at a time." She tightened her grip on his shirt, her frozen claws beginning to make his chest feel like it was encased in ice. "Ohhh, and Dipper. I'll make sure to treat him special. He'll be the last to go. I want to see the look on his face as I toss all of his loved ones' broken bodies on the ground and set them ablaze. With your flames, no less. I wonder if he'll beg for his life.." She paused, easing her grip on Bill. "Or for the sweet release of death instead."

And that was just about as much of that as Bill could possibly stand to listen to.

He lunged at her, eyes aglow and hands swifter in movement than he'd thought possible in his current form. He knocked her down, shoving her into the ground by her shoulders and narrowing his contemptuous eyes at her. "How about this instead?" he ground out, tempted to use what remained of his abilities to send her right back where she belonged. "You don't lay a finger on this dimension, because I know exactly what would need to be done to the Nightmare Realm to knock it out of existence. I know exactly what buttons to press, exactly what strings to pull, because that is my domain." He pressed a hand to her icy throat. "Not yours. And that goes for Pine Tree, too. If you try to get from him whatever it is you want, then I will end you. I'll personally make sure you know not to fuck with what belongs solely to me. I'll turn off the lights in those eyes of yours, and I'll laugh as I watch them flicker out."

He let go, having just enough sense to know when to stop pushing a demon. Especially one that had the means and desire to see him seizing on the floor. He inhaled, long and shaky, spinning on his heels to leave her where she was. She stood as well, exuding amusement towards him, which pissed Bill off to no end. "I'll keep that in mind, Cipher," she drawled, voice like thorns that dug deep into his pride. Both of them knew his threat was as good as empty. Bill was sorely aware of how weak he'd grown in the last month he'd resided in his current dimension. Regardless, he wasn't going to let some bitch take what was his. He'd fight her tooth and claw if it really came down to it. He stomped away, fuming. And when he turned the corner, he was greeted with new surroundings.

Mabel sat against a wall with her knees drawn close to her body and her head down. She had clearly been crying. And Dipper stood beside her, knocking lightly against one of the lavishly decorated wooden doors. "Pacifica, please open up," he asked morosely, desperation in his eyes. Bill huffed, stepping towards the door.

"Let me talk to her," he grumbled, pressing a hand to the knob.

From inside he could hear Pacifica groan. "Who said I wanted to talk to you?"

Bill raised his brow, more or less expressionless. "Who asked?" He turned the doorknob, finding it was locked. As if he'd expected anything else. "Look, I'm not in the mood, and I'd really like to speed this up, Blondie. I don't wanna waste my time picking the lock, so if you'd just save me the hassle that'd be great."

There was a long period of silence before a sigh could be heard from inside. Pacifica unlocked the door and opened it, glaring at Bill. "Get in," she hissed, turning away from him. Bill did as he was told, gesturing for the twins - who looked like they were just itching to follow him - to stay where they were. He closed the door behind him, pocketing his hands. Pacifica sat down on her bed, looking up at him in annoyance. "What do you want?" She had quite obviously been crying as well.

Bill hummed, ignoring her moodiness. "Who's the guy?" he asked, examining the very pink walls of her bedroom. Pacifica muttered something under her breath and Bill pinched the bridge of his nose. "What?" he asked impatiently, tapping his foot.

"I said I don't know," she snapped in response, crossing her arms.

Bill frowned, furrowing his brow. "You don't know? Isn't marriage supposed to be some stupid symbol of two souls bonded forever blah blah blah gross lovey dovey whatever?"

Pacifica glared at him. "Yeah," she said with a simper. "What's got you acting so pleasant anyway, sunshine?" she went on, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Bill shrugged. "Probably the same reason you're so cheerful today, minus the demon that's not crawling around in your head," he huffed, the exasperation thick in his voice. She didn't even look surprised at his mentioning something crazy and supernatural getting in between him and Dipper. She'd expected it, to be honest. "A whole lot of something getting in the way of claiming what belongs to me. And let's be real here. The problem isn't your weird arranged marriage or whatever the hell you humans call it. It's the fact that you didn't jump on your opportunity with Mabel sooner and now you have no choice but to accept it." He lowered his voice just in case the others outside had decided to listen in.

Pacifica's eyes widened, and her cheeks flushed. "What makes you say that?" she asked, glancing away from him for a moment before forcing her eyes to meet his again.

Bill chuckled, shrugging. "Maybe I can't see dreams anymore without meeting certain conditions, but I can and definitely did hear all that drunken cooing about how cute Shooting Star is up in that skull of yours," he explained. "I don't see why you don't just say something to her and get yourself out of this."

Pacifica shook her head. "I'd love to, but it's official. My parents are forcing me to marry some guy to fully regain our lost fortune and I can't just say no...I've never been able to just say no..." She brought her knees up to her body, burying her head behind them. "Besides, Mabel likes guys. Not girls."

Bill snorted. "You're telling me. Ever seen one of her dreams?" He whistled, an amused smirk on his face. Pacifica just groaned, arms tightening around her knees. He sighed. "Okay, Blondie. I'm gonna level with ya. I have zero familiarity with human affection, but I know for a fact that Shooting Star has a whole lot of it for you." She perked up slightly, tilting her head up just enough for him to see her eyes over her knees. "And seriously, fuck marrying someone if you don't want to. You're a grown ass woman. They don't have any real control over you unless you hand it to them. And you have plenty of money, clearly. So don't even bother letting them pawn you off like that."

Pacifica opened her mouth to respond, but seemed at a loss for words. Her legs fell back down to the floor and her expression was unreadable. After a few moments, she jumped up, wrapping her arms around Bill's torso and just about knocking him over. "You promise she likes me back?" Pacifica questioned, looking up at him with worry.

Grumbling, Bill pressed his hands against her shoulders and held her away from him. "I'm a lot of things, but a liar isn't one of them," he said simply, letting his arms fall back to his sides. "I'm also not a hugger. You wanna hug someone, you've got two bleeding hearts biting their fingernails outside the door."

Pacifica giggled, nodding. She wasn't stupid. She could practically feel the fake radiating off of him. She was pretty keen at picking that up from people, as she'd held up that facade so much as a kid that it was always easy to tell when others did the same. "You're just hiding a big sweetheart behind all that cynicism, aren't you?" she teased, stepping towards her door. He pocketed his hands, muttering angrily to himself about that comment. She smiled. "Thanks, Bill." She opened the door to see Dipper and Mabel both sitting in the hallway, looking impatient and anxious.

"Yeah, whatever," Bill huffed, stepping out and letting the twins swarm Pacifica with worry. Mabel practically dive bombed the poor girl, shoving her nose into Pacifica's neck and sobbing loudly. Dipper just asked questions frantically, as he always did when something big happened, offering solutions and reassurance that everything would be fine whenever necessary. Pacifica laughed politely, rubbing Mabel's back soothingly and telling Dipper to calm down because she was going to deal with it on her own. Bill just watched, leaning back against the wall on the opposite end of the hallway.

He really didn't understand any of this. Not the hugging or crying or strange sense of devotion the trio had towards one another. It made no sense to him, yet he still found the feeling oddly alluring. As a demon, he felt nothing but what was allowed of him. The usual, sinful emotions. But with the addition of the fabricated soul he'd placed within the human body he now occupied, every other emotion seemed to come alive as well. Pleasant ones and some not so pleasant as well. Though he was unsure whether he really liked any of them, as they did nothing but puzzle him. Especially the ones he felt towards Dipper. Greed, possibly. But it seemed too guilty, too stormy in his chest to be something so selfish. And while lust was a part of it, he highly doubted the unusual thudding in his chest came solely from that.

Perhaps it was the very devotion he found so baffling between Pacifica and the Pines.

Pacifica ran a hand through Mabel's hair, soothing her sobbing and smiling fondly at her. Bill raised his brow, eyes darting between them all. At least, until he heard Dipper's voice call for him. He shook his head. "What?" the blonde asked dumbly, bringing himself back to reality.

Dipper rolled his eyes, snapping his fingers. "I asked how you somehow managed this," he said, a hand on Mabel's shoulder. She sniffed, using her sleeve to wipe her nose.

Bill glanced at Pacifica. then back towards Dipper. "I just did what I always do," the demon said with a shrug, stepping towards them. "I tell it like it is, kid. That's all."

Dipper smiled at him, and he wasn't sure why, but it made the blonde's chest tighten painfully. "Well, whatever you said, it worked. So.. Thank you," Dipper replied surprisingly sincerely, despite his still simmering anger towards what the demon had done earlier. "That was... Weirdly nice of you." He chuckled, turning back towards Pacifica. "But you're sure everything is going to be fine?"

Pacifica nodded. "Yeah. I think I can handle it," she said, rubbing her arm and glancing at Bill for the shortest moment. "Now go." She pressed her hands to Dipper's shoulders, shoving him the other way.

Dipper blinked, backing up some. "What? Why?" He looked puzzled.

Bill sighed, rubbing one of his temples in annoyance. "Kid, she's clearly telling us to get the hell out so she can talk to your sister," he explained, grabbing the brunette by his arm. "Best of luck to ya, or whatever." He started dragging Dipper - who only then seemed to understand - away.

Pacifica giggled, waving at them before turning towards Mabel and asking that she have a word with her. Mabel of course still looked oblivious, but nodded anyway, wiping the remainder of her tears off her face. Bill muttered under his breath, still unfamiliar with the layout of this stupid mansion to navigate it efficiently. Dipper raised his brow, taking the lead. "Someone's moody today. You were pretty happy with yourself for earlier like... ten minutes ago. What happened?" he asked, leading Bill towards the door, which Pacifica's butler opened up for them without a word.

"We've got some new developments to talk about, kid," the demon hissed out, stepping towards Dipper's car. "It's not just your head she's invading anymore. And if she's getting into mine so easily, then that means just about anyone in this town is equally as susceptible to her tricks."

Dipper froze, looking up from the keys he'd been fiddling with. "Mabel," was all he could think to say, voice urgent and eyes full of terror.

"Or Blondie, or Sixer, or anyone else you care about. Hell, I might even be a viable target." Bill opened his door, eyes low and gaze disdainful.

Dipper sat in the driver's seat, his head in his hands. Bill sat in his own beside him, staring straight ahead. Silence crawled between them for a long while. And then, seemingly out of nowhere, Dipper slammed his fist down on the wheel, teeth grit and trying really hard not to scream. "Did you know about any of this before you asked me to become human?!" he yelled, failing at any attempt not to be loud.

Bill just eyed him quietly, examining the brunette's shaking hands and the place where his knuckles were red from hitting the wooden steering wheel. "I had no access to information from the Nightmare Realm after I was kicked out. Showing my face there again would've gotten me killed about as quickly as I could snap my fingers." He reached out, taking Dipper's wrist into his hand and looking at the split skin where blood had begun to spill out. He wiped it away with his thumb, but it was soon replaced by more. Dipper was trembling. Violently. It was rather worrisome, actually. Bill looked up to meet his eyes. "Kid. You alright?"

Dipper shook his head, pulling his hand away. "Open the glove box," he ordered, biting down hard on the inside of his cheek and struggling to keep his breathing level. Mabel. Stan. Ford. He closed his eyes tightly, though it did him little good. He could see the flames rising in his head, hear the symphony of agonized wailing, and all of it left him a quivering mess. Bill knew this. He could hear it all and see it all as well, echoing in his own mind like bells against his sanity, or lack thereof. He did as he was told, opening the glove box. "Th-there's a bottle of pills in there. Hand it to me," Dipper said, chest heaving. Bill dug around, pulling out an orange bottle and reading the label.

"Anxiety? Since when?" he asked, watching Dipper warily as the brunette snatched it from his hand.

Dipper twisted it open, digging his fingers into the bottle, which seemed about half empty. He pulled two little white pills from inside, shoving them into his mouth. "Picked it up when I was twelve," he hissed, grabbing a nearly empty water bottle and pulling the lid off. He chugged down the last of it, drowning the pills as he swallowed them.

Bill grit his teeth. "Ouch, kid. Geez..." He rubbed the back of his neck, taking the pill bottle from the brunette's still shaking hand and closing it. "Had to be twelve, huh?" The demon pressed his palm to Dipper's shoulder, leaning over to watch him as his episode slowly passed. "You okay now?"

Dipper gave a slight nod, opening his eyes again, only to be met with Bill's closed ones as the blonde kissed him. "What was that for?" he asked quietly as Bill pulled himself away.

The demon hummed. "I've heard that's comforting," he said, running his fingers through Dipper's bangs. He'd really never fully comprehend what it was about the brunette he liked so much or why he did the things he did around him. Hell, he didn't really get why he did anything anymore. Ten years ago he would've cringed in disgust at his current actions, his current form.

Dipper gave the slightest appreciative smile as Bill put the pill bottle back in the glove box. "Thanks, but... Don't kiss me," he said in a teasing tone.

Bill raised his brow. "And why not?"

Dipper scoffed, looking down at his hand, which wasn't bleeding quite so much anymore. "Not after what you did earlier," he said with a smirk, looking back up at Bill. But before he could say anything more, the blonde had already caught his lips in another kiss, hands cupping either side of Dipper's face.

When he pulled away, Dipper laughed, pushing on the other's chest. "It was just a joke," he said with a slight blush, grinning.

"This is not a joking matter, Pine Tree," Bill replied, although he couldn't help the smile that tugged at his own lips.

Dipper started the car, rolling his eyes. "Whatever you say, stupid." He tried not to think about his panic attack earlier. He tried not to think about the demon in his head. He just needed one moment. One good moment. "Hey, maybe I'll actually start teaching you to drive tomorrow."

Bill's eyes lit up with excitement. "Seriously?" He grinned jubilantly.

"Yeah," Dipper said with a chuckle. Bill looked so happy to hear that, and Dipper found it adorable. "You are such a child."

Bill huffed. "Dating children is frowned upon, Pine Tree," he responded, crossing his arms.

Dipper was quiet for a moment.

"Shut up."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Dipper pinched the bridge of his nose, reaching out his other hand to grab Bill's wrist. "Can you please stop trying to kill innocent animals on the road?" he asked in annoyance, looking towards the wheel. And then he noticed that Bill was driving a good seven miles above the speed limit. "And slow down while you're at it."

Bill stuck out his tongue, giving Dipper a sideways glance. "Alright, fun police," he replied in amusement, easing up on the gas and moving a bit slower. "But you've gotta admit, kid. I'm not half bad at this." He grinned triumphantly.

Dipper rolled his eyes. "Not after three hours of driving around the mall parking lot, you're not. But you can't park to save your life," he replied, relaxing in his seat. "And you're positive you already know what all the si-"

Bill groaned. "Yes, kid. "I've been around a while, you know," he replied, waving a hand dismissively.

"Don't remind me," Dipper huffed, leaning his head on the window. "And keep both hands on the wheel."

Bill did as he was told, grumbling. "Hands on the wheel, Bill. Follow the speed limit, Bill. Don't try to kill the animals, Bill," he muttered, glancing towards Dipper. He looked back towards the road, a thought crossing his mind. Maybe there was something he could do now, even without most of his powers. Something useful in keeping people safe. Strange that the thought even came to him at all: keeping people safe. It hadn't really been a concern of his until recently, but a lot of things were rather new to him as of late. He drove to the furthest edge of town he could, stopping the car. And admittedly, Dipper was right when he said Bill couldn't park.

"What're you doing?" Dipper asked, a skeptical expression on his face. He watched Bill get out and did the same, closing his door. It was early evening already and the road leaving town wasn't busy. Not that any road in Gravity Falls was ever technically busy, but he supposed it didn't really make much difference either way.

Bill pointed a bit further down the road. "Stand over there," he ordered. Dipper gave him a strange look, but stepped in the direction Bill had asked for. And the blonde did the same, but found that as soon as he reached the very boundary he'd been looking for, a wall seemed to appear where he touched. He smirked, running a hand along the barrier. "Well, if I can't get out, that at least means she can't either."

Dipper stepped back towards Bill without a problem, interested. "I'd almost forgotten this was here," he mused, grinning. If nothing else, at least it gave him the slightest bit of his wavering peace of mind back. He watched Bill turn back towards the car and sit down on the hood. The demon leaned back, looking upwards with a thoughtful expression.

"Kid..." he started, a look in his eyes Dipper couldn't identify. Curious, Dipper sat beside him, his attention fully won over. "I think we should start talking worst-case scenario. She gets out-"

"She won't," Dipper interrupted, voice firm.

Bill inhaled silently, closing his eyes. "If she gets out, then you come here. Take Shooting Star, Sixer, and whoever else.. Then leave the town." He looked down. "Don't come back."

Dipper furrowed his brow. "And what are you gonna do?" he questioned, eyes narrowed.

Bill chuckled. "You really shouldn't make a habit out of worrying over me, kid," he replied, still not letting his gaze meet the brunette's. He ran a hand through his hair, giving thought as to what he'd been told in the Northwest Manor. He knew his powers were draining straight into his replacement. He knew to take it to heart when she'd said he was on his way to ruin. He wasn't naive. This more than likely spelled the death of him. And that was... Well, ironic, to be totally honest. "Besides.. I doubt I'll even be around for that anyway." He sounded genuinely saddened, which Dipper found both strange and surprisingly upsetting.

Dipper was quiet for a long while. His eyes searched Bill's own, but the blonde really did seem adamant about not looking at him. Bill bit down hard enough on the inside of his cheek to break the skin. "Look, death comes natural to your race. And you're made not to be fazed by it. Because humans all believe there's something else, something beautiful that comes afterwards. But I am certainly not human, kid. I've felt what death for someone like me is...There's nothing for me to believe in and nothing out there willing to save something created to take and ruin and-" Dipper had listened to just about as much of that as he could bear and placed a hand on the back of Bill's neck, pulling him forwards and pushing their lips together.

The blonde blinked in slight shock, but kissed back until Dipper leaned away. "I've heard that's comforting," he said with a chuckle, opening his eyes to meet Bill's. He smiled, but Bill didn't really seem in the mood. Dipper huffed in exasperation. "Quit being so pessimistic. It's not like you. And anyway, since when do you just lie down and let whatever happens happen?" Dipper pursed his lips, looking dissatisfied. "It's almost offensive."

Bill couldn't help but give a slight laugh at that. "You're right, kid. Hey..." He looked up at the sky, which had darkened a bit since they'd been there, stars beginning to let themselves shine against the vast, royal blue sky.

Dipper hummed, doing the same. "What?" he asked curiously, leaning back on the palms of his hands.

Bill opened his mouth, but nothing seemed to come out. He shook his head. "Nah," he said to himself, sliding off the hood of the car. "Nevermind." He stepped towards his door and opened it. Dipper watched him with a simper, disappointed. Bill just grinned, as usual. "You comin' or do you plan to walk home?"

Dipper tipped his head to the side, but followed after the blonde anyway. "What were you going to say?" Bill sat down, turning the key in the ignition and starting the car. He didn't respond to the question, which bothered Dipper to no end. "Seriously?" Bill just chuckled, and the brunette took his seat beside him, grumbling. Looks like he'd never find out..

Dipper yawned in his seat behind the counter. He wasn't really sleeping well anymore. Mabel was well aware of this, too. She knew there was something going on. She just couldn't quite place her finger on what exactly. Although she was beginning to put the pieces together. Or, she thought so, at least.

The recurring fights that only seemed to happen in the mornings.

The strange injuries appearing on Dipper's body that healed almost as quickly as they were inflicted.

The hospital visit.

Bill's fading eye color.

All of it meant something. All of it was connected. Somehow. She simply needed to figure out why. And while that may be difficult, she wasn't going to lay down and let her brother keep anything from her that she may consider dangerous. But at the same time, she refrained from acting on her suspicions, because she knew that would lead nowhere good. Perhaps she'd ask Ford sometime. He seemed the most likely to have an answer, whether or not it was helpful.

She cast her brother a worried glance, turning back towards the shelf she was stocking. Customers wove around the merchandise, eyes skimming the walls blankly. Mabel sighed, adjusting a prism and stepping into another room to check on things there. Dipper looked in her direction for a moment, but not long enough to find himself interested. They hadn't been spending enough time together, he realized. Maybe that Sunday he could find something for the two of them to do, since it felt like he had been ignoring her in favor of Bill a lot lately. He hummed thoughtfully.

That needed to change, he decided.

"Hey," a polite voice greeted, and he looked over to see the girl that'd been showing up at the Shack quite a bit lately. Mabel often teased him about the fact that she was "totally into him," but Dipper liked to think she was just new to town and was trying to get to know everyone.

He nodded towards her, smiling. "Hey. Cold?" he asked, pointing a finger towards the scarf around her neck.

She looked down at her clasped together hands, cheeks rosy. "No.. I get sick really easily, so I always bundle up as much as I can," she explained, her eyes trailing back upwards to meet Dipper's. She pulled her hands apart, flexing her gloved fingers to punctuate her words.

Dipper nodded in understanding, smiling cheerfully. "Must suck in the summer," he commented, resting his chin on his hand.

Beth, if he remembered her name correctly, groaned, rolling her eyes. "You're telling me!" she exclaimed, fiddling with the knit scarf wound around her neck. She giggled, starting to tell him a story about being little and how awful it was to wear big coats to school all the time. Bill wrinkled his nose down the hall, putting on a cheerful facade for the morons buying everything that spout from his mouth. He listened to Dipper's thoughts with intrigue, abilities fine tuned to pick up on specific people whenever he wanted to. Which was regrettably just about the only power he had full use of anymore.

"And that concludes your tour of the Mystery Shack! Exit's on the left," he chirped, echoing the words he said everyday. He pointed a finger towards the door, dashing for the one in the opposite direction. On his way, he brushed past Mabel, who gave him a look he found somewhat odd. But he ignored it and pressed forward, slowing his pace to a walk as he approached the counter. Dipper sat on one side, talking and looking indifferent to the fact that Beth's hand was coiled around his forearm, while her other was supporting her head on the counter. She looked too close for Bill's comfort, demeanor too casual and gaze certainly too intent.

Bill, as subtly as he could manage, ran his fingertips up Dipper's spine. The brunette jolted slightly against the unexpected touch, a blush surfacing across his face. Bill chuckled, sending his message home with a short kiss to his cheek, beaming at his successful work in making the woman pull her hand away from Dipper. "Hey, Pine Tree," he greeted with a springy attitude, jubilant in every possible spinning of the word. He turned his gaze towards Beth, who seemed neither angered nor skeptical of the blonde's antics. "I don't believe I ever caught your name," he said, feeling just cocky enough to swing an arm over Dipper's shoulders and pull him into his side, grinning.

The woman, whom Bill already knew the name of, tilted her head. "I don't recall ever throwing it," she remarked, smiling playfully. Her tone remained level, polite. And Bill absolutely couldn't stand it. He wanted far too badly to get under her skin, to drive her away. "My name's Beth."

Bill hummed, not allowing the frown that dared tug at his lips reveal itself. "I'll remember that," he said in feigned reciprocation of her tone. Dipper miraculously remained silent throughout this entire exchange, but he definitely was making a mental note of every stupid little thing Bill did or said that he was bound to regret later on.

Beth's expression didn't falter, smile unwavering. Bill hated it, but he couldn't say anything snarky without Dipper almost certainly stomping on his shoe and walking away. Which would suck, because then Bill would be the one stuck doing his boring job of manning the cash register.

Beth turned her gaze towards Dipper, hands twined together behind her back. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize you two were a couple," she said gently, seeming to pick her words just right.

Dipper opened his mouth to respond, but Bill was quicker. "Yep, that's exactly right. We're a couple, so please try to keep your hands away, if you would." His tone was dark underneath the grin he wore on his face and his voice had risen in volume a bit more than necessary. Dipper furrowed his brow, casting Bill a damning glare. He slammed an elbow into the blonde's ribs, looking back towards Beth apologetically.

Bill hissed in pain. Did Dipper absolutely have to hit him as hard as possible? He grumbled beneath his breath, eyes cast to the side as Dipper pulled himself away from the former dream demon to tell the girl he was sorry about Bill's actions. Only then did her expression drop into a frown, but when Dipper placed a hand on her shoulder, she seemed to perk up, even if just a little. "I-I didn't know I was being such a bother..." she mumbled, looking close to tears. Bill ground his teeth together. Of course. All it took were some blurry eyes to make Dipper want to jump to the rescue, when it was plainly seen that there was nothing to save.

Bill spun on his heels, sure as hell not in the mood to hear any of this. He narrowed his eyes straight ahead, making his way up the stairs. He passed by Ford on the way up, who was much less social since Bill had come to stay. The older man eyed Bill suspiciously as he passed, which he did just about every time the two of them were in a room together. He looked ready to make some sort of comment about the pissed off expression Bill wore, but the demon wasn't really in the mood to hear it. He stepped a little bit quicker on his feet, turning a corner and leaving Ford behind before he could say anything.

Angrily, Bill stepped into Dipper's room and had to force himself not to slam the door shut. He sat down on his boyfriend's desk chair, forgetting anything he knew about respecting one's privacy and flipping through a sketchbook that certainly didn't belong to him. He sat there and waited for the inevitable yelling, and it seemed he didn't have to wait terribly long.

The very moment Dipper walked through the door, it was clear to see he was furious. "What the hell were you thinking?" he growled, evergreen eyes blazing like flames trapped inside a flask.

Bill sat down the sketchbook, which Dipper's gaze flitted towards for a moment before resting back on the blonde. "She was clearly flirting with you," was all he said in defense, expression almost completely blank.

Dipper looked like he just might blow up, which he was all too ready and willing to do. "She was being nice," he hissed back.

Bill rolled his eyes. "She had her hand on you."

Dipper pinched the bridge of his nose, then held up his arm. "Her hand was right here," he responded, pointing a finger at his forearm. "I'm well aware of the fact that it was there, but seeing as I don't find someone touching my wrist - my wrist, for god's sakes - sexually appealing or even flirtatious in any way, I'm pretty sure you were safe." He raised his brow. "And is that seriously all this is? You threatened a perfectly sweet girl because you actually considered her a threat? Am I really so untrustworthy that you had to make an ass of yourself in public?" He crossed his arms, staring daggers at the blonde.

Bill grimaced, glancing away from Dipper's intense gaze for a split second before reconnecting their eyes. "I... No. But..." he was muttering to himself, blushing in embarrassment. When Dipper put it like that, he made Bill seem like a real prick. The blonde rubbed his arm, reaching for a good reply. Very rarely was Bill Cipher ever left speechless, hanging on the edge of a response but unable to make one come out correctly. Dipper inhaled, turning away from Bill to step towards his bed. He knelt downwards, outstretching a hand to search beneath it for something in particular. Bill watched curiously as he did so, his attention caught by the brunette pulling out a pad of yellow paper.

Dipper stood up, straightening out his back. "I wasn't going to let you know what any of this said until I'd finished it, but whatever," he grumbled, flipping through the pages he'd written. And then Bill realized exactly what the notebook was, sitting quietly and waiting impatiently. Dipper seemed to find what he'd been looking for, glancing at Bill before letting his eyes fall back down to stare at his own handwriting, which was thin and wiry in comparison to his sister's messily scrawled cursive. He pulled his glasses from the breast pocket of his flannel and put them on, eyes skimming the paper for a decent paragraph.

Mimicking a narrator's tone, Dipper started reading once he found one he deemed worthy enough to be said aloud. "He ground his teeth together, watching. Helpless to stop it but oh so willing to try anyway, his eyes never left the scene playing before him. In the past, nightmares were his domain and he'd have been able to change everything in a quick moment. With a snap of his fingers or a blink of his eye, this would've all been over. But now. Now things were different. The game had been changed, and all he could do was sit back and bear it. The only assistance he could provide was reassurance once awoken, a softly spoken word or two about getting through these horrors. But right then and there, in the dream he wished he hadn't asked to inhabit, he could do no more than keep his gaze level and hope that things turned out alright in the morning."

Bill blinked, taken aback slightly by Dipper's representation of his character. It almost stung how scarily accurate he'd been written. And Dipper was well aware of it, too. That's exactly what he'd been trying to tap into, the ability to make Bill feel something without it turning into some joke in his mind. He remained silent, watching Dipper once again turn a few pages in search of something else entirely. But Bill never could've predicted what Dipper had been about to say.

"And the possessiveness, which in small doses could be considered endearing, quickly became frustrating when taken too far," Dipper read, glancing up from the papers to look at Bill a short second. "The preferable moments of such a thing were those that weren't accompanied by any ulterior motives or jealousy." Dipper coughed into his hand purposefully, shooting Bill a glare that the blonde almost chuckled at. Though he couldn't resist the smirk that curved his lips upwards. "A whisper of the words late at night or the strange and unexplainable way he seemed to express affection without even really knowing what that word meant. Still, he never failed to let it be known that every last bit of it was for no one but himself. Obviously, he was a selfish man, and he knew it. Never did he attempt to hide that about himself. But even then.."

Dipper stopped, closing the notepad and letting his arms fall to his sides, papers hanging loosely from his fingertips. Bill shifted in slight anxiousness. He'd actually found himself wanting to hear more. He liked the sound of Dipper's voice when he read, the flawlessness in which his words were conveyed, because they very clearly belonged solely to him. No one could say it quite the way he did, and Bill enjoyed that. He also enjoyed knowing that Dipper thought highly enough of him to write those words in the first place. Bill glanced downwards, heat rising to his cheeks. "Kid-"

Dipper cleared his throat, looking directly towards Bill and pulling the specs off his face. "But even then, selfish as he was, he was transparent, too. Without a solid grasp on emotions, he still somehow managed to wear them on his sleeve. Even during the most critical of times. In those moments when his selfish sense of possessiveness reached a bit too far, it was nearly impossible to stay upset with him. Because it was so easily explained why he really acted the way he did. The anger, the jealousy, all of it," Dipper went on, a sly grin adorning his own lips. Bill stood up to face him, opening his mouth to speak. But once again, he was interrupted.

"Stemmed from the one feeling he understood the least."

Bill took a step towards him, eyes slightly aglow with interest.

Amused, Dipper crossed his arms. "One he found far too embarrassing to even admit he was capable of."

Bill was visibly blushing by then, picking his words and his actions carefully.

Clearly, Dipper knew he had hit just the right chord, which he took absolute delight in. He knew he had won, and there hadn't even been an official fight to begin with. "Because who would ever take a demon seriously once they found out that he, like any human in the world, could just as easily fall."

Bill's hands were on the brunette's sides, fingers tightly gripping his flannel.

"In."

The blonde yanked him forwards, so the two of them were mere centimeters apart.

"Love."


	12. Chapter 12

**WARNING: NSFW**

 **Chapter Twelve**

"Love." Dipper smirked, so close to Bill that he could feel the blonde's breath against his skin. He slid his glasses back into the pocket of his flannel absentmindedly, watching Bill for any sort of reaction. Bill's eyes just searched his for a moment, no response in mind. He wouldn't give Dipper the satisfaction of one, and instead, tilted his head to the side to catch the brunette's lips in a kiss. Dipper didn't jolt backwards, didn't pull away. He'd been counting on this, actually. Content, his eyelids lowered, masking the emerald green of his irises with his lashes. Bill's own eyes were closed in concentration as his fingers loosened against the fabric of Dipper's flannel to run a hand past the brunette's hip. The demon rested his palm on the small of Dipper's back, tugging him forward to deepen the kiss.

Bill nipped experimentally on Dipper's bottom lip, his other hand roaming wherever it desired to go, his touches purposely gentle. The lack of pressure had to be infuriating, and that he knew. Dipper craned his neck back, breaking the kiss to look at Bill with a grin, one arm hooked around the demon while the fingers of his other hand curled around the collar of his sweater. "Oh, that's cute," he chirped, narrowing his eyes in amusement. He chuckled softly, raising his brow. Did Bill think he'd be able to get to Dipper so easily?

Did Bill think he'd already forgotten about his payback?

Bill frowned, reading his thoughts like words on a page. "I swear to every deity you humans conjured up in those heads of yours, if you deny me one more time..." the demon threatened lowly, jaw tightening in frustration.

Dipper scoffed, the hand on Bill's shoulder trailing upwards to thread his fingers through platinum blonde hair sweetly, sure as hell he'd be taking his time with this. "Wouldn't dream of it," he cooed in a tone Bill would've compared to velvet, stepping back until the backs of his knees were pressed against his bed.

Bill noticed the movement and hummed, lips curving upwards cattishly. He laughed breathily, tipping his head and pressing his nose behind Dipper's jaw, lowering until he reached the crook of his neck. The demon flicked his tongue out to testily lick at the slope of of his collar bone, fingers picking at the top button of Dipper's flannel. Dipper shivered, suppressing a sound and instinctively tilting his head to the side to allow Bill more access. He could go along with this for a while.

He could definitely go along with this.

Smirking to himself, Dipper absentmindedly played with and tugged at Bill's hair as the demon's jutting canines dug into his flesh none too gently. His skin felt as if it were burning beneath Bill's touches, and he fidgeted restlessly. Another bite, this time a little bit harder. Dipper sighed, breath hitching ever so slightly in his throat. Bill took quick note of that, tracing the flat of his tongue back up an artery, reveling in the way Dipper's fingers clenched against his skull, a whine just barely escaping his lips. And oh, was that exciting. Amused, he pressed a kiss to the brunette's neck, leaving them all the way up to his jaw and finally his ear. Dipper's eyes fell shut and he breathed out hotly, swallowing hard.

Bill pulled back, taking in Dipper's appearance. Cheeks flushed, eyebrows knit together, and lips pulled together to keep from making any sound. Bill chuckled, dragging a hand up his chest and neck, stopping at his jaw to grab his chin. Dipper's eyes snapped open to stare at him, swiping his tongue over his own lips to wet them. For the sake of his pride, he didn't say anything, instead opting to push forward and kiss Bill feverishly, heart pounding and heat rising in his abdomen. His hands ran along Bill's sides, stopping at the hem of his sweater and pulling it upwards. Laughing, the blonde broke the kiss to take it off and smirked at Dipper, who's eyes lingered on his tan skin before looking back up.

"Lock the door," he said, pulling at the topmost button of his flannel. Beaming, Bill held up a hand, fingers positioned to snap. But Dipper grabbed his wrist, glaring. "Like a normal person, stupid," he hissed, pushing the blonde towards the door.

Bill groaned, pulling his arm away and spinning on his heels. "You're paranoid," he muttered, twisting the lock and fiddling with the knob just to be sure it wouldn't open.

He turned to see Dipper toss a blue t-shirt to the ground to join his now discarded flannel. Bill grinned, stepping towards him. "And you're reckless," Dipper retorted, sitting down on the edge of his bed and looking up at the demon with a simper.

Chuckling, Bill placed a hand on Dipper's shoulder and shoved him downwards a bit rougher than what was probably necessary, earning a shocked yelp in response. "Whatever you say, kid," he cooed, leaning over Dipper and bending a knee up onto the comforter. He smirked and lowered his head to kiss the other hard, propping himself up on one of his elbows while his other hand dragged down Dipper's chest. His touch was light as a feather, deliberate. Smiling against the kiss, he parted his lips to shove his tongue into the brunette's mouth.

Dipper shivered, brows furrowed as he allowed Bill's tongue to swirl around his own, trying hard not to moan into the demon's mouth. He brought down his hands, fumbling to undo Bill's belt and pull it from the loops. It took him a few more moments than he would've liked, but he was soon able to tug it off and go to work on the button of Bill's jeans. Bill just laughed, breaking away from the kiss. "Eager, Pine Tree?" he quipped, his fingertips pressing just barely against the bulge in Dipper's pants.

Dipper gave a soft gasp, unable to control the way his cock twitched in response. The blush on his face crawled along his neck and chest from embarrassment, and Bill scoffed at him, removing his hand to grab at both of the brunette's own. Dipper swallowed thickly, eyes narrowing in annoyance. Bill hummed triumphantly, adjusting his position so his hips pushed down on Dipper's erection and he was sitting a bit more comfortably. The brunette whined beneath him, painfully aroused to a point where he was almost desperately trying to grind his pelvis upwards for some friction, but Bill's thighs kept him locked in place. "Nn.. God..." he breathed, pulling at his hands.

Bill snickered, holding onto them a little bit tighter. "What was that? I couldn't quite hear you," he sneered, bearing down a little harder on Dipper, who groaned heavily.

The pressure was almost too much for him to take. His breathing was ragged and sweat beaded at his hairline. "Ahn.. Bill, I-" Bill rolled his hips harshly into the brunette's. "Fuck-!" Dipper ground out, fingers clenched against his palms and beginning to turn white.

Bill chuckled, shifting purposely just to test the limits of what he could do. Which earned him a strained whimper and quiet panting from Dipper's lips. He once again attempted to rut against the demon, but it was impossible. At that point, he knew he couldn't. It was simply instinct driving him to keep prying at Bill's grip. But this would only last a bit longer, he decided.

Bill leaned downwards to be only an inch or so from Dipper's face, beaming. His fingers were wound tightly around the brunette's wrists and his body moved rather sharply against him. "I think I'm going to take my time and enjoy this thoroughly," Bill sneered, irises flashing red. He shifted his legs so his hips were raised just above Dipper and his knees pressed against the fabric on either side of him. Dipper let out the breath hadn't known he'd been holding in. The lack of any friction was worse than not being able to move at all. Regardless. He could use this to his advantage.

Bill let go of Dipper's wrists after what felt like an eternity, leaning over him and placing his palms on the comforter at either side of Dipper's head. Bill's lips hovered over his ear, and he snickered. Dipper raised up his now freed hands and ran them along Bill's sides, fingertips brushing against his skin softly. Bill opened his mouth to make some sarcastic remark, but he was quickly silenced when Dipper used the opportunity he was given to push the blonde to the side and turn to take his place on top of him. He shoved Bill's shoulders back into the bed, grinning down at him.

Bill jolted slightly in shock, eyes blown and staring upwards at Dipper, which the brunette found both adorable and amusing. "Didn't expect that, did you?" he asked in a sing-song tune, leering triumphantly at him. Bill just blinked, then frowned, moving his hands upwards to attempt to flip the script back to what it had been. But Dipper just chuckled, threading his fingers with the blonde's and pushing them up above Bill's head. "Yeah, that's not how this is gonna work," he jeered, bending to be only an inch or two from Bill. "I think I'll be taking things from here."

Bill fidgeted, not sure whether or not he hated or enjoyed being talked to that way. For the sake of his pride, he decided he hated it. But his pride crumbled to pieces as soon as Dipper bit down softly on his lower lip, rocking his body against Bill's own. A pathetic little whimper escaped his lips and he blushed at the sound of his own voice, involuntarily grinding his hips into Dipper's.

"Gh-god, kid," Bill hissed out, moving his legs a bit in an attempt to get more comfortable. "There's more lust coming off of you than I thought humans were even capable of." He laughed softly, flexing his fingers, which were still being held down by Dipper's hands.

Dipper hummed, tilting his head to the side to kiss along the demon's jaw softly. "I don't think you mind," he remarked coyly, lips curved upwards. He could feel Bill's pulse beneath the skin, racing faster with every move Dipper made. And that all on its own made the brunette want to test just how far he could push Bill. Dipper started sucking on the sensitive skin along his jaw, eliciting a low and not-so well concealed whine.

Bill's spine curved slightly into the brunette, desperate to be touched more. Desperate to put his hands all over Dipper. Desperate for Dipper to put his hands all over him.

Seriously, how long had he been this lovesick?

 _Shit_. Well, that was embarrassing.

Dipper ran his tongue across the bruise he'd left on Bill's jaw, satisfied. He leaned up, raising his brow proudly at the blushing and panting mess of a person Bill was beneath him. "K-kid..." he breathed, closing his eyes for a moment before forcing them to meet Dipper's. "Cut it with the teasing already." He tried to sound threatening. Honestly, he did. But he really was too excited to put up any kind of resistance, and his hands relaxed in Dipper's grip. His head was far too foggy to even bother anymore.

An annoying little part of his brain was practically begging to be fucked. The other part of his brain was telling it to shut up.

Dipper laughed, loving the needy look in Bill's eyes. "Ask me nicely," he purred, lifting himself onto his knees and shifting his weight onto his hands to keep Bill down.

The blonde whimpered, moving his hips as if that would make Dipper more keen on doing as he asked. He bit his lip, glancing to the side. His face was scarlet and his body ached without the contact. He swallowed the saliva pooling in his mouth and looked back up at Dipper. He parted his lips to speak, but paused. Was he really willing to surrender what remained of his dignity? His eyes skimmed down along Dipper's body almost curiously. The demon shivered.

Yes. He certainly was.

"Fuck me," he implored, voice quiet but tone still somewhat firm. He exhaled slowly. "Please, Pine Tree." He hated the way his voice sounded, all sweet and wanting. It was almost sickening, but seemed to do the trick just the same.

Dipper smirked. "Good," he cooed softly. He released Bill's hands, and the blonde immediately shot them upwards to wrap around his neck and pull him into a very fast-paced and deprived kiss. He wasn't sure why he wasn't taking this as his chance to get Dipper beneath him again, but he didn't even attempt it. He was also rather curious as to why he was responding so eagerly to being demeaned in such a way. _Oh, hell... Am I a masochist?_ he questioned inwardly, almost humiliated by the very thought. Almost being the key word there. Dipper by no means was against it of course, and kissed Bill back feverishly, his tongue prodding its way into the blonde's mouth. His hands trailed all along the demon's chest and stomach, nails digging into his skin and leaving red marks.

Bill moaned shamelessly against Dipper's lips, back arching into the touch. _Yep. Masochist. Fantastic._

Bill's eyes fluttered open. His fingers combed through brunette curls, and he tugged on them as a sort of order. Dipper seemed to get the hint and pulled away an inch or two, gaze clouded with lascivious intent. "Kid, when I said fuck me, I meant now," Bill managed through panting breaths, bringing up a knee that pressed between the brunette's legs and sent electricity sparking up Dipper's spine. He gasped, shuddering. "No more games," Bill added, lowering a hand to fiddle with the button of Dipper's jeans. "Here. Get off for a second."

Dipper narrowed his eyes in suspicion, but obeyed with little hesitation, standing up and letting the blonde do whatever it was he had planned. After all, Dipper could always get the blonde beneath him again. Bill sat up, hair matted in the back from being shoved into the bed and face still rather red. He leaned over, grabbing Dipper's flannel from off the ground and looking through the pockets. He glanced up. "Do I have to spell it out? Pants. Off. Now," he said blankly, looking back down and grinning when he pulled out Dipper's glasses.

Grumbling, Dipper began to undress, hissing at the strange feeling he was met with as soon as the tightness against his member was relieved. He didn't like the sudden bossiness at all, but he decided he'd let it go for the time being. If Bill actually thought he was getting out of this walking correctly, then he was sorrily mistaken.

Bill chuckled at Dipper's thought process, tossing the glasses towards him. "Ooh, scary," he remarked, eyes trailing southwards out of curiosity. The brunette caught the specs in a hand and raised his brow. "Put those on."

Dipper watched Bill stand, noting the way his eyes lingered on him for a moment before focusing on taking off his jeans. "Why?" he questioned somewhat skeptically, unfolding them to push over his ears anyway.

The demon breathed out softly, kicking off his jeans and discarding them. He looked upwards at the brunette, meeting their gazes and smirking at the way Dipper's eyes were accented so nicely by the glasses. "Every human has quirks, kid," he cooed in explanation, shrugging as Dipper stepped towards him. "And I've decided that one of mine is finding you particularly alluring when you've got those on." He wrapped his arms around the brunette's neck, lips pulled upwards into a sneer that Dipper absolutely couldn't wait to wipe off his face.

And so he didn't hesitate another moment to do so, pushing Bill down onto the bed and pressing him into the mattress. Bill just made a satisfied little sound in the back of his throat, lashes lowered and pupils dilated to take up most of his vermilion irises as he looked up into framed green hues mischievously. Dipper made it a point not to waste anymore time and pressed a few of his fingers against Bill's lips. "Suck," he ordered, unblinking.

Bill just cocked an eyebrow at him, confident. "And if I say n-oomph..!" His eyes widened in slight shock when Dipper prodded his fingers into the blonde's mouth, beaming at him. Bill glared, blushing darkly, and twirled his tongue around the digits obediently. Embarrassment was evident as ever on his face, and that was exactly what Dipper had been going for. He rocked his hips down on the blonde's, watching through the frames of his glasses as Bill's eyes closed, brows creased together as he tried not to moan. God, was this was humiliating.

Though in his mind, he really had no qualms with that.

Dipper enjoyed eyeing Bill as he quickly eased back into the submissive role (which Dipper found was satisfying in itself), bobbing his head to the best of his ability and coating the man's fingers with his saliva. After a moment or so, Dipper pulled his hand away from him, lowering it to press his index finger against the demon's entrance and push it inside of him gently. Bill gasped, biting his lip and covering his mouth with a hand. Fuck, he mentally cursed, his cock twitching in response, and he moved his hand downwards to touch himself. He was so desperately turned on and he couldn't stand it.

But Dipper had other plans, and used his free hand to clutch both of Bill's wrists, shoving them down on the bed over his head. Again. At the same moment he did that, he slid his second digit in, fingertips brushing against a bundle of nerves and rubbing it softly. Bill's eyes snapped wide open, hands clenching into fists and tensing in Dipper's grip. He cried out pathetically, pelvis rolling up unconsciously to meet the thrusts of the man's fingers. "Shit, that's..!" he puffed, chest heaving. "N-not even fair..."

Dipper laughed, curling and moving his fingers a little bit faster, purposely massaging around that one spot, tantalizingly close. But never touching it directly. "And you can't get enough of it," he sniggered, watching the way Bill twisted and writhed for more, tugging at his wrists until they were red and stung from being held down with so much force. Not that Bill minded, really.

 _Damn, what's wrong with me?_ he asked inwardly.

 _Oh...Yeah...Masochist_ , he then reminded himself.

Bill whimpered, legs weak and body racked with tremors every time Dipper deprived him of what he wanted. It was so frustratingly exciting, and he could feel the arousal prickling his skin. He glanced down at his length, swollen and leaking precum from the tip. He was so close, and he had barely experienced a thing. His already scarlet cheeks reddened. Getting off on mortification wasn't something he'd ever expected from himself, but Bill couldn't really deny what a turn on that was for him anymore.

Dipper hummed elatedly, removing his fingers from inside Bill, which coaxed a strained whine from the blonde. "You are a sight to see right now, you know that?" Dipper questioned teasingly, watching Bill's eyes languidly trail up to meet his, breaths coming out in shallow huffs. Dipper scoffed, reluctantly freeing Bill's hands to place his own against the demon's hips and hold them down. Bill visibly swallowed, lowering his hands and rubbing one of his wrists gingerly. He gave a barely perceptible nod at Dipper's question, any shame he'd had lost with the newfound and overwhelming desire- Scratch that, downright need to climax.

"C-can I..." He couldn't bring himself to finish the question, instead parting his legs a bit more as a silent plea to be touched. Bill turned his head to the side in an attempt not to meet Dipper's intense gaze, fidgeting beneath the brunette in anticipation.

Dipper found his shyness absolutely adorable. And the fact that Bill was clearly acting the way he was simply because he enjoyed the role he'd been given made it all the more gratifying. Amused, Dipper caught his lips in a kiss, keeping his pace slow and tender for the moment. He positioned himself above Bill, using a palm to lightly move the blonde's thighs a little further apart. He licked the demon's lower lip, pushing himself in gently. Bill gasped shortly, giving Dipper the juncture he'd needed to jab his tongue into the blonde's mouth.

He rolled his hips, a little rougher now, and gave a slight groan at the warm, slick sensation around his cock. Bill's stomach tightened considerably, and he pulled away from the kiss to swear under his breath. The action sent slight jolts of pain crawling up his spine, and Bill would be lying if he said he didn't revel in it. "P-Pine Tree," he stammered, voice like honey against Dipper's ears. "Harder." He pulled Dipper down a bit, rocking back and forth to meet the brunette's movements. He buried his face into Dipper's neck, one hand entangled in his hair while the other was pressed against his shoulder, nails scraping against the skin fiercely.

Dipper couldn't refuse. Not when Bill sounded like that, all quiet and sweet. Especially not with the way his length was beginning to throb with the desperate need to move faster. He pulled out, hesitating for a split second just to torment the blonde beneath him a bit more, then thrust back in hard. He was rewarded with a loud moan from Bill, who quivered from the pleasure.

The sound went straight between Dipper's legs, and he made it a goal to hear as much as possible.

Smirking, he let one hand come down to wrap around Bill's cock, balancing himself on his other arm. A weak little sound escaped Bill's lips, and he raised his legs up to loop around Dipper's lower back.

Dipper grunted, shoving himself into Bill again and again, heart beating faster as Bill's voice increased in volume each time. He pumped the blonde's erection to the pace he moved his hips, breath coming out in labored gasps.

Bill's grip tightened in his hair, and he bit down on Dipper's shoulder sharply to keep himself from becoming any louder. He might have broken the skin, but he was too out of it to really care. Or notice at all, for that matter. Dipper did, however, and hissed in pain. Though it was bearable and actually somewhat enticing, he didn't really want Bill trying to muffle his sounds at all.

Dipper swiped his thumb over Bill's tip, then jerked his hand up and down less than gently, drawing a long, drawn out cry from the demon. His head rolled back and his hands trailed down to wrap around the brunette, digging his nails into the other's flesh to keep himself grounded. It did him little good, of course, as he was already so close to climaxing that his brain could hardly even function correctly. And, although he hadn't even registered the words before saying them, he somehow managed to choke out what he hadn't before; something that made the hairs on the back of Dipper's neck rise.

"Can I-" he started, breath hitching in his throat. "Can I please c-cum...?" His voice was hushed, but provocative and sexy. But what really sent Dipper reeling was the fact that he'd asked. He'd wanted Dipper's permission. The brunette was well aware Bill had only done so because he was simply too far gone, too deep in the new and rather pleasant persona he'd made for himself. And Dipper had to admit, he really, really liked this side of Bill.

In fact, he was almost tempted to say yes.

Almost.

But when he pressed his lips to Bill's ear, somehow the blonde knew what his response would be. "Not until I have," he growled, punctuating his words with a heavy thrust. Luckily for Bill, though, Dipper was closer than he'd let on, and he was fast approaching his peak.

Bill whimpered beneath him, tears building in his eyes as he really strained himself to keep from losing it. Part of him wished he hadn't let the words slip. The other part of him was so ungodly and inexplicably pleased with this outcome. But he'd of course never say that aloud.

Dipper groaned, continuing his ministrations on Bill's prick as he ground himself deep into the blonde, purposely hitting his prostate with every push. He wanted to see if Bill could actually do as he'd been told.

Bill's voice rang out, and he could barely take it anymore. His eyes were blurry and his bangs stuck to his forehead with sweat. His skin from his cheeks down to his chest was bright red from blush and hickeys specked his flesh. Frankly, he looked completely wrecked. "Dipper-! Please!" he pleaded, voice positively sinful.

Something about the sound of 'Dipper' coming from Bill's lips sent chills down the brunette's back, and it was the last little push he'd needed to send him over the edge entirely. "Gh-god, I'm-" He moaned before he could finish the thought, keeling over the blonde with a particularly rough shove, stars exploding into his vision as he came.

Bill pulled Dipper closer, fingertips raking Dipper's skin ruthlessly as the feeling of being filled overwhelmed his senses. Finally releasing all the tension built up in his body and letting the tightness in his abdomen ravel, pulses of electricity darted all across his body. He buried his head into Dipper's shoulder to muffle the sound of him quite literally screaming with pleasure, profanity rolling off his tongue like waves on a shoreline. He trembled violently, only calming down once all the aftershocks of his orgasm melted away to nothing. His legs fell back down from around Dipper, hitting the mattress with a soft thump. Both his and Dipper's breathing was ragged and neither of them seemed capable of coherent thought processes at the moment.

Giving a contented sigh, Dipper pulled himself out of Bill and all but collapsed beside him on the bed. He barely even registered the stickiness that seemed to have been spilled all over his stomach. Bill looked over at him. No words came to mind. He was still drawing a total blank there. But for some reason he thought to reach out a hand to push the specs up on Dipper's nose, adjusting them.

"...Humans exhaust easily, huh?" Bill puffed after a couple minutes of his little staring contest with Dipper, glancing down at himself. Boy, he was a mess.

Dipper just hummed, blinking. "Y-yeah." He coughed into his hand, gesturing between them with his other one. "We should probably clean ourselves up. Mabel would never let me hear the end of it if she saw cum all over the sheets..." His face flushed. She'd never let him hear the end of it if she found out at all, let alone had proof. He shuddered at the mere thought. Maybe having sex in the middle of the day with no thought to even be remotely quiet was a bad idea.

 _Well._

 _Mistakes were made._

Bill scoffed, raising his brow. "You think I'm getting up after what you just put my body through?" he questioned, voice reaching its usual boisterous pitch once more. "Fuck you. I'm gonna stay right here."

Dipper scowled. Bill was back to his usual self. The brunette exhaled wearily. All good things came to an end at some point, he supposed.

Bill chuckled. "Seems that way, doesn't it, Pine Tree?" he cooed, snapping his fingers. The dirtiness on their bodies disappeared, and Bill even went out of his way to clothe them. Well, they both had their boxers back on, at least. And that was all that was really necessary. "Better get used to it, too. Next time I won't be so quick to let you take the lead," Bill added, sighing contentedly and feeling much more pleasant without any of the liquid that stuck uncomfortably to his body. But Dipper didn't look nearly as happy as he did.

He shook his head. "What did I say about magic?" he asked worriedly, fingers wrapping around Bill's wrist.

"Aw, don't be so boring. Nothing happened this ti-"

"This time." Dipper looked really serious, and Bill was somewhat surprised.

The blonde opened his mouth to argue. "But-"

Yet again, Dipper wouldn't allow it. "You're going to hurt yourself like this, Bill." Fear dripped into his tone, and something about that actually resonated with the demon.

Bill's gaze softened, and he reached his free hand out to pull the glasses off Dipper's face. "Okay," he lulled, surprisingly soothing. "No more." A few moments passed. Dipper released his other arm, nodding just enough for it to be noticeable. Bill gave him a reassuring smile, which was certainly rare, and scooted closer to him. He adjusted his body and lifted his hips up to pull the blankets from beneath him, though pain coursed through him as soon as he put any effort into moving at all, and he winced. Dipper did something similar to that, mostly so he could be near Bill without the comforter becoming a barrier between them. The blonde outstretched his hand, sitting the spectacles on the nightstand with a thoughtful hum.

Dipper then wound his arms tightly around the demon and pulled him forward, letting his forehead press gently against the curve of Dipper's collar bone. Bill didn't complain, just absentmindedly brushed his fingers along the brunette's sides and let his eyes flutter shut. He really didn't mind the sweetness he was being treated with. Quite the contrary. It actually felt pretty.. nice. Even if it didn't really make sense to him.

 _Love._

That was the word, right?

Bill gave that concept a bit of thought before he soon fell asleep.

And for the first time in all of eternity... he had an actual dream. One that belonged solely to him.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

"Can you please explain to me why we're following your sister and Blondie around town like we've got nothing better to do?" Bill asked in a bored tone, eyeing the two girls as they ran off to do who knew what.

Dipper huffed, sneaking around near the blonde. "If it weren't already blatantly obvious, I'm trying to set them up together," he said, leading the way towards the building Pacifica and Mabel had gone into. "They're so into each other it hurts."

With an amused hum, Bill followed after him. "You sound like Shooting Star," he pointed out.

"What can I say?" Dipper shrugged, adjusting the cap on his head. "She gets results."

Bill scoffed, watching the brunette stop in front of the building and peek his head around the corner. Seriously, had he aged at all? "This might be the most childish thing I've seen you do since I've gotten here," he said with a snort of laughter.

Dipper glanced back at him with a grin. "Other than you?" he queried sarcastically, focusing his gaze back where it needed to be.

Bill furrowed his brows for a moment. "Wha- Oh... Oh!" His face reddened in realization at what the brunette meant by that. "That's not funny!" he exclaimed, mortification apparent as ever on his face and the pitch of his voice heightening indignantly.

Dipper chuckled, keeping his voice low. "It's pretty funny."

Bill just grumbled, turning his head the other way and crossing his arms. Low blow. And it made him both ashamed and horribly proud all at once knowing that Dipper had come up with it. Right there on the spot, no less. Oh, hell.

Dipper was picking up Bill's snarkiness.

And that was dangerous to his pride.

"Shut it, kid," he finally huffed, looking back at the duo they'd been following around all day. Dipper gave a soft laugh, stepping around the corner he stood against. Bill went after him, letting the brunette lead him wherever the two girls went.

But eventually-

"Where the hell did they go?"

Dipper's frustrated sigh caught Bill's attention, as he'd just about zoned out after almost an hour of near silence. Creeping up on his boyfriend's sister while she was on a 'date' wasn't exactly his ideal image of a day alone with Dipper. Since they could've spent it doing actual interesting things. Ford would be in the basement working or searching for anymore supernatural hot spots, and Stan would be taking over for Soos while he was spending his final few days in Portland.

That gave the couple quite a few options.

Bill could think of a lot of things he would've preferred doing with Dipper over this. Most of them weren't even dirty, so it wasn't like the brunette would have ended up throwing a fit or making it difficult for him. He didn't always have an ulterior motive. Geez. But of course, Dipper went blind to everything else whenever he set out to do something. It was both a charm and an annoyance to Bill, but he couldn't really stay mad with the damn kid.

Hell, he was practically smitten with him.

Though he'd never admit it.

Dipper waved in front of the demon's face. "Earth to Bill. They're gone," he said with a pout, lowering his hands to pocket them. Bill jolted slightly, eyes wide and blushing slightly. It was a good thing Dipper wasn't the one that could read minds, because that would've been a bit embarrassing. And by that, he meant he would've never heard the end of it ever.

"Sorry. Where'd you last see them?" Bill asked, regaining his focus enough to pay attention now. Dipper seemed a bit shocked the word sorry had genuinely left his lips at all, his brows furrowed in what could only be described as confusion.

But he let it go without a remark. "Here." He pointed up at the sign of the little store they stood in front of. "But they left really quickly and I guess I wasn't watching closely enough.." he mumbled. Like hell he'd tell Bill he'd gotten distracted by the blonde staring at him so intently. Not if his life depended on it.

Bill chuckled and ruffled the other's hair teasingly, smirking sideways at him. "How sweet of you, kid," he commented with a scoff, glancing up at the sign. "An antique shop, huh. Why here?" He ran a hand along the door frame, which was chipped and a bit splintery.

Dipper just shrugged. "Mabel's always liked looking for weird little knick knacks. They're just about the only things she won't cover in glitter," he responded, looking around in one last ditch effort to spot his sister and Pacifica. But unfortunately, they were nowhere to be seen. He tapped his foot impatiently, and Bill didn't restrain his amusement. He'd actually been about to comment on the brunette's lack of observation skills when something else caught his gaze.

A dusty grand piano sat inside the shop, looking a bit scratched on its edges, but otherwise in pretty good condition. Bill grinned, pulling the door open. "Kid, have I ever told you that I know how to play piano?" he asked, stepping inside. Dipper, of course, followed after him, snickering quietly to himself.

"Oh, yeah?" he asked, a smirk forming on his lips. "So can I."

Bill hummed, running a hand over the top of the wooden instrument. He glanced at the clerk, who didn't even bat an eye when the blonde sat down in front of it. He pressed his index finger down on a B sharp key, listening to the note reverberate throughout the store. It sounded more or less in tune. Maybe slightly flat, but that hardly bothered him. He looked up at the brunette expectantly. "Well? Sit down and prove it then," he said, scooting to the side of the seat.

Dipper scoffed, but did so anyway. "You would know if I was lying," he replied with a roll of his eyes. Then he looked down at the keys and adjusted the position of his hands to play a simple piece he knew from memory. His parents had taught him to play when he was pretty young. Mabel didn't care much for instruments, but she would always sing whenever he sat down in front of one. It was one of Dipper's favorite things about being a kid, spending so much time with her. There had been no barriers between he and his sister. There were no complications or worries before they started school, because all they needed was one another.

And they were all they'd ever known for the longest time.

Dipper supposed the reason he grew up the way he had was because he hadn't grown used to other people or social situations the way she had. He was awkward and felt uncomfortable with people he wasn't close with, but it never felt that way around his sister, no matter how old the two of them got. No matter what got in the way.

Dipper smiled, speeding up the tempo and playing a more cheerful piece. Bill watched his hands with interest, though most of his attention remained solely on the brunette's thought processes. It was always obvious from their first meeting that Mabel was Dipper's weakness, but before he'd experienced the brunt of a family sacrifice himself, he never would've considered devotion a strength as well. It was strange, and seemed to stir something within that pesky soul that was gradually beginning to take over in place of his demonic powers. It was certainly a nuisance, but it piqued his interest all the same.

Bill looked back down at his own hands, resting over the black and white keys, then decided the song Dipper was playing could use something a bit more. He began pressing his fingers down and playing harmony off the top of his head, somewhat echoing Dipper's actions. He handled the lower pitches while the brunette kept the song light and airy through the higher melody. It actually sounded pretty damn good considering the fact that it was just the slightest bit out of tune and Bill was simply rolling with Dipper's actions. The blonde smiled, surprisingly without any of his usual condescension. Strange, how human emotions worked. It never quite made sense to him how stupid things like this made him feel so pleasant. But he couldn't really complain. 'Pleasant' wasn't something that had been on his radar prior to obtaining this form.

Dipper stopped playing once the piece wound down to completion, and Bill followed right after him. "Not bad, kid," the demon commented, looking up from the instument to meet Dipper's gaze. Bill smiled sideways at him, a soft laugh escaping his lips. "Never would've guessed it. I mean, despite the fact that I'm an omnipresent being and kinda knew already anyway." Dipper rolled his eyes at the demon, then leaned over a bit to peck him on the lips.

"Shut up," he said jokingly, standing up and holding out a hand for his boyfriend to take. Bill did so without a word, shifting onto his feet. Very few days went by this nicely anymore. Dipper was often exhausted at work, and his uncles were giving him too much to do. They wanted him spending as little time with Bill as possible, and until Soos came back, they could and would continue to keep them away from each other. Thankfully, Soos and Melody would be back in only another two or three days. Then there was Dipper's demonic issues paired with the stress of yet another possible apocalypse on his hands. It was all about as much as he could take. And it was horrible, because most days the only time he spent with Bill anymore was at night, and the she-demon haunting him wouldn't allow either of them a decent sleep anymore.

Bill hummed quietly to himself, stretching out his arms until his back popped. "Wouldn't have to worry about it so much if Sixer'd get off our damn case already," he grumbled, glancing towards a shelf covered in glass antique toys. A little angel one caught his eye and he snorted, reaching out a hand to pick it up. "That's a pretty idealistic representation, don't ya think?" He cocked his brow at the brunette, who took the angel from his hand and placed it back on the shelf.

"Making the assumption that angels exist is about as reasonable as assuming you don't exist," Dipper responded with a shrug, turning back towards the exit. "It just comes natural to most."

There was a moment of silence. Bill shrugged. "Everyone wants a perfect eternity," he said with a slight huff, turning towards the exit and leaving Dipper behind "But Heaven isn't so great, you know..." Bill's voice trailed off at the end, and he didn't look back to see if Dipper had followed him. Of course, the brunette had. So Bill didn't feel it necessary to confirm.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dipper asked with an air of curiosity to him, leaning forward to eye Bill's expression as they walked. The blonde, however, looked like he regretted his past statement, and avoided the other's gaze. He exuded an aura of anxiousness, and sped up his movement to leave Dipper behind. "Woah, hold up!" The brunette was concerned then, and clasped his hand over Bill's shoulder, yanking him back. He spun the demon around to face him, interested and somewhat worried.

"We made a d-" Dipper stopped himself.

Bill's eyes went wide, rapidly changing colors. From their usual yellow to crimson to a blinding teal, then finally a familiar gray. His hands shook violently and his mouth hung slightly agape. A few seconds passed. Dipper reached out a hand to steady him, but Bill didn't even give warning before he toppled over this time, falling forward. Dipper attempted to catch the demon, but with Bill's entire weight on him, it seemed impossible to stay standing. Struggling, the brunette lowered himself, then just let himself collapse to his knees the rest of the way. "Bill...?" he questioned quietly, blinking in shock. It just had to be in public this time, didn't it?

Bill opened his eyes after a moment or two, an excruciating pain crawling across his entire body. Especially his eyes. He groaned, raising a hand to rub his temple. "What the hell hap..." He froze once he looked up to see that he was no longer standing outside the antique shop and Dipper was nowhere to be seen. All he could see was a suffocating blackness all around. This certainly wasn't what death felt like, nor was he in purgatory. And he knew that to be fact. He heard the sound of something cracking and looked back. An X-shaped portal seemed to have opened up, colors swirling around inside and creating a vivid contrast against the midnight background.

A figure Bill was all too quick to recognize stepped out of the portal, and it shrank until it disappeared, leaving the world around Bill bare of any color once again. The only things he could even perceive against the darkness anymore were the eyes of his favorite demon bitch. They narrowed into slits at him. "Mind your word choice," she growled lowly, her presence growing colder with rage. "I could kill you anytime I wanted to."

Bill didn't flinch. He stepped towards her, ignoring the way his body screamed for him to stop. "Do it then." His voice had an edge to it even she seemed caught off guard by. But he didn't stop. He was tired of this. "If you didn't need me for something, there'd be no reason to keep me around." He grinned manically, eyes wild. He held his arms out at his sides. "But go on. If you wanna kill me so much, then be my fucking guest."

She didn't respond.

Bill laughed, his voice echoing through the emptiness. "See, that's what I thought! Now listen here, and listen good," he continued, smirking confidently at her. The she-demon remained silent, though she felt even colder than before. "Don't think you can pull this on me, got it? I know your tricks, because I've pulled them all myself, and I'm telling you now I'm sick of it. So go on and spill what you need from me before I grow any more bored of your company." He shrugged.

"I'm liste-"

The demon's hand collided with the side of Bill's face, leaving long, bloody clawmarks. He winced, expression actually somewhat surprised, and raised a hand to cover them. It burned like hell, but he made a valiant effort not to show it. "Alright, Cipher." she spat out his name like it burned her tongue to say aloud. Their surroundings faded from a deep black to empty white, revealing the silhouette of the demon in front of Bill.

She got into his face, flames rising and curling around those glowing circles that she called eyes. "I'll tell you what I need from you," she ground out, hands clenched into fists at her sides. "I need you to use up the rest of your powers already. The Nightmare Realm's running out of time and if I'm going to free it, then I need your abilities."

Bill took a step back, keeping his gaze level with hers. "What makes you think I'd do that when I could just wait for the whole place to implode on itself?" he replied, an eyebrow raised.

The she-demon sighed, leaning back and letting the fire in her eyes fizzle away. "Easy. Besides, you really shouldn't assume I couldn't force the power out of you some other way. At least now I'm giving you an ultimatum." She raised a hand and snapped her fingers. Dipper, his family, and even Pacifica appeared behind her, sitting on the porch of the Mystery Shack. They all looked really, unusually happy. Ford was sitting on the swing with Stan, showing him some sort of map and drawing a line over their course with his index finger. Pacifica sat against the front door, giggling. Mabel had her head on the blonde's lap, looking up at her and gesturing wildly with her hands as she told some presumably ridiculous story. And Dipper was off in his own little world, a Pitt Cola at his side, a book in his hands, and a soft smile adorning his lips. "I'll spare them. Sure, you'll still die in the end. That was a given." The demon chuckled, a grin spreading wide across her face.

"But it's all worth it if they get to live a little longer, isn't it?"

This time Bill went silent, pupils like pinpricks against his irises. She could always be bluffing. Surely she was. There couldn't possibly be a way to make him drain his powers faster...

And yet he had this sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that there definitely was.

He opened his mouth to shoot an angry response back at her, but nothing seemed to come out correctly. He glanced between all of them before his gaze ultimately landed on Dipper. "Damn..." he whispered regretfully, forcing himself to smile just slightly. He'd picked a bad time to fall for the stupid kid, hadn't he?

"It's your decision, Bill," the shadow cooed, waving a hand. And in doing so, everything behind her began to fall apart. Ford was raised into the air and gave a surprised little sound before a snap silenced him. Stan reached out, looking like he'd just witnessed his own funeral, but collapsed on the ground beside Pacifica and Mabel before he could even speak. All three remaining survivors had horrified looks on their faces. Pacifica screamed, and Mabel seemed beyond words, just sitting up to huddle against the other girl and closing her eyes. Dipper blinked, stunned and horrified all at once. An invisible force yanked the two young girls away from each other by their hair, and Dipper instinctively reached out towards both of them, but had no way of holding on.

"Stop!" Mabel shrilled, looking like she was being strangled by... something. By what exactly, it didn't seem clear. Pacifica as well appeared to be in the same form of agony. Dipper struggled to pry the nonexistent hands off Mabel's throat, then Pacifica's. Nothing he tried worked, and he realized this only when it sounded as if their tracheas had been entirely crushed and they were cast to the ground like rag dolls. He fell to his feet, hunched over and sobbing like a child, hands gripping his hair desperately. "MABEL!" he shrieked, sorrow like needles against Bill's ear drums. He swallowed the urge to run towards the brunette, to pull him away, to tell him it would be fine. But that was stupid. Bill knew better than anyone this wasn't real, but...

Human feelings seemed to override any form of logic at the moment.

The demon hummed, giving a shrug. "I won't force you to agree," she said smugly, hands in the air and ready to snap.

But Bill wouldn't allow her. "No!" he pleaded in desperation, voice reaching a horrified wail he hadn't intended for. He had the face of someone that had been utterly broken down, and it was almost pitiful to look at. She scoffed at him, lowering her arms and holding one out at him. Her smile was so sickening, so sinister.

"So we have a deal then?"


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

"So we have a deal then?"

Bill stared down at her hand, conflicted. His stupid human heart and his sense of logic were at odds with one another. This wasn't real. He was cripplingly aware of that. But the pain in his chest simply wouldn't allow him to fully believe in that fact. Was this what human fear felt like? Because he could barely stomach it. Quite literally, in fact. His insides churned at the very thought of what could happen if he refused. But his mind was screaming for him to snap out of it.

Bill shook his head, hesitantly raising a hand. An icy smirk crawled across the she-demon's face as she watched him with interest. This couldn't possibly have gone any better for her. That is, until Bill grabbed her wrist and yanked her forwards, so that the two of them were eye to eye. She felt cold to the touch, but it wasn't like Bill hadn't expected that. He grinned, laughing at what he assumed was her only means of a shocked expression. "You wanna know what's great about being in the Mindscape?" he asked, snapping his fingers. The Shack disappeared, along with Dipper and his family as well.

He let go of her arm, looking smug. "The fact that I don't even need to use my powers, because I can do whatever I want here." He leaned back and sat midair, crossing a leg over the other. The she-demon was trembling with outrage, eyes giving off a bloody, incandescent glow. Bill chuckled, pointing a finger at her. "You seem cold. Here." He snapped yet again and blue flames engulfed her being. She wailed in pain before the ice her entire body seemed to be made of forced the flames to fizzle away. Bill hummed at that, giving a shrug.

"I guess while I'm talking, I might as well admit to you I almost took that offer. Almost let that obnoxious little soul of mine cloud my better judgement. But then it hit me! You can't do anything to me outside of the mind," he said with a smirk, tapping a finger on his forehead. "If you could, you would've tried it already. Everytime you've done this, it's been here. You're running out of tricks, and it shows. Boy, for someone that's supposed to be replacing me, you're not very clever."

The she-demon kept silent, almost as if he'd defeated her, but Bill was smarter than that. He waved a hand dismissively. "I mean, you could always try possession, but let's be real here. Been there, done that." He tipped his head to the side, flashing his canines at her.

The silhouette before him narrowed her pale eyes at him. "Do you not even want to liberate this dimension anymore?" she asked, voice losing its edge, although remaining hollow.

Bill cocked a brow at her, rubbing his injured cheek gingerly. "Hmm? Sure I do. I'm not a saint just because I'm also not necessarily a demon. But ya see, I like Pine Tree a bit too much. And frankly, I dislike you in equal measure. That make sense?" The blonde sounded all too confident for her liking, but this was the most interesting thing Bill had done since he'd been desperate enough to make a deal with Dipper. So she contained her anger for the moment. Bill floated down to her level, his feet seemingly touching solid ground beneath him. "It doesn't really matter if it makes sense or not. I don't need to justify the fact that I have no interest in helping you. Guess I'm not as evil as I used to be, if I even have room to say that. I suppose I'm more on the... "chaotic neutral" end of the spectrum," he commented, making air quotes with his fingers.

"Besides, did you actually think that all this time, I was letting you push me around because I was scared of you?" He gave a condescending laugh, turning away from her with his hands raised at his sides. "You really aren't all that bright, are you?"

The she-demon took in one long, shaking breath to keep herself from lunging at him and practically ripping him apart. She still needed the obnoxious blonde, regardless of how much he pissed her off. "Bill, if I have to-"

Bill scoffed in amusement, looking back at her. "Ooh, we're on a first name basis now, are we? Well, if that's the case, you mind finally giving me yours?" He spun on his heels to face her. "I've gotta admit I'm at least somewhat interested in knowing."

The she-demon gave him the most devious grin she could manage. "If you really must know, it's Cryptos. Elizabeth Cryptos," she admitted honestly, looking down and examining her clawed fingers.

Bill groaned, rolling his eyes. "Real original," he muttered, tapping a foot. "Well, Elizabeth, you mind if I wake up from this long ass dream already?"

Elizabeth tilted her head, as if in thought, then shrugged. "I don't see why not," she cooed, looking as smug as a blacked out image possibly could. "But don't think I'm giving up here. You're getting off easy this time."

Bill chuckled. "I'll keep that in mind," he replied as Elizabeth raised a hand and snapped, the sound reverberating through the emptiness.

Bill opened his eyes, blinking away a feeling of grogginess. He felt strangely warm. And not just because it was the middle of July. He let his vision focus enough to note that he wasn't where he remembered passing out. Actually, he was lying comfortably in Dipper's bed. He rubbed his eyes, then realized that Dipper was even in the room with him. The brunette was slumped over the side of the bed, his forehead resting against his arm, presumably asleep. Bill glanced around their bedroom, noticing the many empty cups on the counter he could only assume had been filled with coffee. It was no wonder the very air itself smelled of caramel.

"Yeesh, kid..." the blonde mumbled quietly to himself. "Worry much?" he huffed, reaching out a hand and running his fingers through Dipper's chestnut hair softly. Bill briefly wondered how long he'd been out, but figured that he wouldn't get any of that information staying in bed. He moved as quietly as he could manage, standing up and popping his back. He felt like he'd been in a coma, his body was so stiff. But he supposed that couldn't be helped. With a sigh, he stepped to the other side of the bed and leaned down towards his idiotic boyfriend. Reaching his arms around Dipper, Bill pulled him upwards and lay him on the comforter. Dipper didn't so much as respond, only giving a slight grumble in his sleep.

Stupid kid... Bill thought, annoyed. He must've tried staying awake until the demon had finally gotten up. Only on very rare occasions was Dipper that heavy a sleeper. And on all of said occasions, it was simply because he had made the mistake of depriving himself of it altogether. Muttering, Bill turned and picked up the cups - all twelve of them - the brunette had brought upstairs, and practically juggled them on his way to the kitchen. He sat them down in the sink, then rubbed his temples. His head was pounding, and his throat felt dry. Well, he had apparently been sleeping for a pretty long time, so it was likely he was just dehydrated. Regardless, he didn't like it at all.

"Well look who's finally up," a voice said from their place at the table.

Bill didn't bother looking back, and opened up the fridge. "Not in the mood, Sixer," he growled, pulling a water bottle off one of the shelves and closing the door. He pulled the cap off and chugged down about half of it in one gulp, hoping like hell his migraine wouldn't last.

Ford snorted from behind him, watching the demon with wary eyes. He took a sip from his own cup of coffee, glancing back down at his newspaper. "You plan on telling me anytime soon why you were asleep for two days? Or why you still have scars from that little hospital visit when you should've just regenerated?"

Bill twisted around to face him, trying not to let it show how easily pissed off the old man could make him. He rubbed his arm, where the long, crooked lines ran across his skin. Instead of getting angry, he chose to fight fire with fire, grinning mischievously. "Ooh, don't you pay attention! I'm flattered, Fordsy. Really, I am. But I'm a bit young for you now, don't ya think?"

Ford went completely still and silent, and Bill noticed that his eye twitched in fury. Unable to resist the urge, the blonde snickered quietly at that. Which might've been a mistake, because Ford moved faster than someone his age probably should have been able to. He reached a hand into his coat and pulled out a pistol, pointing it at the demon. He glowered, pulling back the hammer and turning off the safety. "I can shoot you any time I want, Cipher. I've got a pretty reasonable amount of evidence to support the theory that you won't get back up if I put a bullet between your eyes," he pointed out, tone low and menacing.

Bill pressed his palm against the gun, an eyebrow raised. "Cool it, will ya?" He didn't even flinch. "Besides, I know a certain Pine Tree that wouldn't be very happy if you killed me." Ford hesitated a moment before he eased up on the trigger, lowering his weapon. Silence crawled between them as he begrudgingly turned the safety back on and pocketed the pistol. With an annoyed glare, Ford sat back down in his seat, lifting the cup of coffee off the table and up to his lips. Bill sat as well, directly across from him. "So you just carry that thing around with you all the time?" the blonde inquired jokingly, looking amused.

Ford cocused his attention back on whatever news article he'd been reading when Bill walked in. "I never know when I might need it," he responded flatly, pushing his glasses up on the bridge of his nose.

There was a strange moment of silence in which neither spoke, which seemed to catch Ford off gaurd. He'd expected something snarky from the demon, and glanced up expectantly. Bill's eyes were trained on the tabletop. He seemed deep in thought. "I guess you're probably right about that, Sixer," he said in an uncharacteristically soft tone.

Ford knit his brows together, puzzled. That had been odd. But for the moment he ignored it, instead opting to change the subject. "Is Dipper still upstairs?" he asked, taking another sip of his drink.

For whatever reason, Bill's eyes lit up with something unreadable. He chuckled. "Yeah. Stupid kid." He scoffed, leaning into the chair and tilting his head back to look at the ceiling. "Could've used his time doing anything while I was out. And he wasted it worrying over nothing." He scoffed, shrugging slightly in his seat. "I guess that probably says something."

That seemed to catch Ford's attention, and he stared unblinking at the demon. There was yet another long pause, and it seemed Ford was unsure quite how to respond to that. "It does," he finally said, almost entirely blank. This didn't seem like Bill. Or at least, not the Bill he made a deal with fourty years prior to this. A lot could happen in forty years, he supposed.

But hell, this didn't even seem like the same Bill that had taken hold of the town not nearly that long ago.

And then it seemed to hit Ford. He gave a smirk, raising his brow at the blonde. He chuckled, then took another long drink of his coffee, just about finishing off the cup. "What're you laughing about?" Bill asked in a poorly hidden defensive tone.

Ford stood up, gulping down the last bit of his drink. "Nothing," he replied with a shrug, walking towards the sink and leaving his newspaper at the table. He sat the mug down in it.

He made no move towards the doorway, and Bill grew annoyed with his insinuations. "Trying to tell me I've got a soft spot for Pine Tree, is that it, Fordsy?" he inquired angrily, eyes narrowed.

Ford spun to face him, leaning an arm on the counter. "I didn't say that. You did," he ribbed, grinning like nobody's business.

Bill paled at that, but made a real effort not to let it show too much. "Well, I'll tell you now that I absolutely do not," he insisted, crossing his arms. The demon stood up from his seat and crossed towards Ford. "I just..." He couldn't seem to find the right words. All of his words arranged themselves in a very mortifying manner within his head. Muddled tangents and lovesick rambling about the boy he was glad he'd suppressed. In very few situations had Bill ever held his tongue, but it seemed that recently everytime he did it was for the sake of his pride. Who could ever take him seriously again if he admitted such things so openly?

"You just what?" Ford asked slyly, a smile creeping onto his lips.

Bill opened his mouth to say something, although he wasn't sure what, when he was interrupted. "OH MY GOSH, YOU'RE AWAKE!" a voice Bill had never been more grateful to hear squeaked. Mabel darted through the doorway and practically threw herself at him, hugging him tightly. Extremely tightly. Bill could probably compare her grip to that of a python. "DIP WAS FREAKING OUT AND THAT MADE ME FREAK OUT AND WE THOUGHT YOU MIGHT NOT GET UP AND IT'S BEEN TWO DAYS SO I STA-"

Bill hushed her with a laugh, a hand on her shoulder to push her lightly off of him. Or at least hint at his discomfort with the situation. She seemed to catch on, and let go, but she was still bouncing up and down restlessly, eyes searching his face like it was the last time she'd ever see it. "Never scare us like that. I swear Dip just about lost his mind," she said, her hands held down in front of her body and her thumbs tapping against one another.

Awkwardly, Bill raised a hand up and rubbed the back of his neck. He gave a really nervous chuckle, eyes glancing all around. "You guys are that attached to me...?" he questioned, making a failed attempt to hide how this entire thing made him feel.

Feel.

He needed to stop doing that.

But it was just so damn hard with this soul in his body. With all his unnecessary affection towards Dipper, his endearment for Mabel, his kinship with Pacifica. All of it had the potential to be his undoing. Sure, he knew better than anyone all of Elizabeth's weaknesses, but she knew all of his as well. And then some he had yet to figure out. It used to be he could move any which way he wanted without a second thought.

But it seemed that recently, all he ever did was think.

Thinking and rethinking and overthinking. The stress of it all was becoming difficult to bear.

If that she-demon dangled the life of all these people in front of him for real, would he cave?

Or would he still be able to choke out his defiance?

Mabel nodded, smiling. "Of course, silly! You're a part of our family now," she pointed out, her eyes glimmering jubilantly. Bill just nodded, forcing himself not to wince and pretending that didn't make his chest tighten considerably. Mabel grabbed his wrists suddenly, clearly oblivious to his extremely stiff and out of character body language. "Speaking of which, you need to go say hello to Soos! And Melody! They got back yesterday." She started tugging Bill along, rambling like an excited schoolgirl. "They are just the absolute cutest couple! Some of my best work, if I do say so myself. Been dating for almost ten years! Shh, don't tell anyone I said this, but I think Soos is going to propose soon." She pressed her index finger to her lips, looking back to wink at the blonde. "But you didn't hear it from me."

Bill just forced himself to look interested, glancing at Ford as he passed by and practically sending off mental distress signals. He seemed to catch on, too, and nodded towards Bill. The demon knew the look on his face well. He used to see it all the time when Ford was young. It was the 'we can talk more later' look.

Bill breathed a sigh of relief at that.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

Dipper rolled onto his side, then after a few moments, willed himself to open his eyes. It was dark, although he could tell by the decent amount of light coming through his window that it wasn't all that late yet. Dipper sat up, rubbing his eyes. What time was it? He reached towards his nightstand and grabbed his phone. The backlight was a bit harsh on his eyes when he turned it on, but that only bothered him for a few seconds. 6:18 pm. So at least he hadn't slept the entire day away.

 _...Wait._

He couldn't recall falling asleep that day, much less in his own bed. And where was...? Dipper's eyes widened, and relief crashed into him harder than a tidal wave. He got out of bed, not bothering to mess with his tousled hair or putting on his glasses. He pocketed his phone, then made his way downstairs, where he could hear voices. He stepped into the living room and Mabel immediately greeted him from her place on the couch, grinning from ear to ear. "Hey, broseph! I was just explaining to Soos and Melody our whole 'we have a demon in our house that wanted to murder us ten years ago but now kinda really likes us' situation," she said cheerfully. Seriously, Dipper was beginning to think Mabel could make anything sound fun or happy.

He nodded, looking over at Soos and his girlfriend. "And uh..." He rubbed the back of his neck, a somewhat embarrassed look on his face. "How's that going over?"

Soos just shrugged, glancing between the brunette and Bill, who sat on the couch beside Mabel. "Dude, I think I'm less surprised you started dating a triangle with anger issues, and more surprised you actually got over your huge crush on Wendy," he admitted, looking like he really wasn't fazed by the situation at all. Bill snorted at the description Soos had referred to him with, but otherwise stayed silent. Dipper felt the tips of his ears start to burn and he threw his arms up in the air.

"Seriously, am I ever going to live that down?" he asked with a loud huff, lowering his hands and pinching the bridge of his nose. "I dated like... seven people before Bill. None of them being Wendy," he pointed out, leaning back against the wall.

Mabel scoffed, her eyes narrowed and twinkling mischievously. "I mean, the first few were red heads, bro-bro." She tapped her chin, deep in thought by the look of her. "And... Seven? It was three last time you were in Gravity Falls."

Dipper attempted to keep a straight face, but it was difficult while he was being stared at by so many people. He felt he may just crack beneath their gazes. At least, until Bill realized this and jumped to his rescue.

"Ohhh, I get it." He laughed. "I was right on the money with experimentation then, eh Pine Tree?" he questioned, crossing a leg over the other and leaning his head onto his hand.

Or not. Dipper supposed getting 'rescued' in this situation was beyond him when it came to the blonde. His face flushed entirely and his shoulders went rigid. "Since when was that any of your business?!" he exclaimed defensively. Bill's smirk spread wide across his face and it seemed the two were about to begin yet another one of their petty arguments. That, of course, never ceased to entertain Mabel, who looked on jubilantly.

But Melody appeared less than giddy over all this, and possibly even a bit confused. "Uhh...? Is anyone actually even worried about the demon in our house, or is this pretty much normal for you guys?" she asked, raising a hand up a bit to gain the attention of the other people in the room.

Soos shrugged, smiling in his usual aloof manner. But Mabel seemed to have a real answer. Or at least, somewhat of a real answer. "Basically. We're not really surprised about anything anymore." She giggled, a hand over her mouth. "It''s a wonder you still react to it, actually."

Melody still didn't seem very happy about the whole thing. "Soos, if he really is the triangle guy you told me about, th-"

Bill interrupted with a wave of his free hand. "The one and only," he chirped with eyes that seemed to stare right into her. His presence and his strangely intense gaze were things the others had grown accustomed to. But the things most considered endearing, Melody seemed to find somewhat unnerving.

She chose to ignore his outburst and continue. "Then I don't think I'm comfortable with him being here..." She rubbed one of her arms, glancing away from the demon's eyes, which stared blankly at her, almost as if in annoyance. "Dipper, you can do whatever you want and all, but this seems a bit extreme, don't you think?"

Dipper opened his mouth to respond, but he was speechless. Before right then people had reacted pretty well to Bill's new form. Even Ford's reaction had been a fraction as angry as Dipper had thought it would've been. Of course, realistically, he shouldn't have come to expect such things. Most people would have agreed with Melody. At least, most normal people.

It just happened that about ninety percent of Dipper's friends and family weren't really normal people.

"Well, we could always find a place of our own, kid," Bill pointed out in his usual nonchalant manner, not quite taking in the seriousness of what he'd said. Or maybe he had, and simply didn't care. It was difficult to tell with Bill. Mabel squealed and Dipper remained silent, staring at him with wide eyes. A few seconds ticked by way too slowly, and he stammered for a response. Bill just blinked his yellow eyes, which Dipper noticed right then had gray rims around them from his last black out. "It wouldn't really be all that hard. Gold, remember?" the blonde went on with a shrug, pointing at the eye hidden beneath his bangs.

Dipper didn't have the heart to choke out whatever inarticulate, stuttering response came to mind. He just had to nod his head and hope that got the point across. And it seemed to do so just fine. Bill scoffed at him, turning his head to look at Melody again. "I'll be out in two weeks. Until then, I'll stay out of your sight," he said with a grin, glancing at Dipper. "Maybe it'll even be sooner, I don't know. I'm making assumptions on the whole 'moving' thing, since I have no prior knowledge on the subject and Pine Tree can't seem to untangle his tongue at the moment."

At that, Mabel snorted with laughter, raising her brow at her brother. Dipper simply glared, but after a few moments, he brought himself to look at Melody and Soos instead. "On second thought, Bill can go on his own," he said crossly, folding his arms over his chest. He was being facetious, of course. He couldn't really leave Bill on his own to run rampant through the town, nor would he, for the sake of his own peace of mind. There were always a couple vacant houses in town, and Dipper was far from worried about not being able to find a good one in the amount of time Bill had promised. His real worry was that the blonde simply couldn't function as a human being without him. Hell, he barely knew how to navigate the grocery store.

Bill made a dissatisfied sound from his place on the couch, utterly offended. "Hey!" he exclaimed, watching Dipper turn to go back towards the stairs. He practically jumped up to follow after the brunette. "You can't do that!" he called, unable to see the huge, smug grin on Dipper's face.

"Sure I can," Dipper cooed, feeling rather proud of the fact that he could get to Bill just as easily as Bill got to him.

Bill grumbled to himself, collapsing on the couch Dipper had helped him push against the wall. As of right then, moving was the most tedious and boring thing he'd done as a human. By far.

He could hardly imagine taxes.

Well, Bill technically wasn't a registered citizen, so he wouldn't actually have to worry about it. Hell, he practically didn't exist. His name wasn't in any of the world's databases - besides maybe whatever research Ford had recorded of him in a personal computer. He had no identification, no legal rights. Did laws even really apply to a person without a background? The blonde gave that a moment to sink in.

In thinking about it, he probably should've been worried.

Regardless, he didn't let it bother him too much. He just leaned back on the couch and tried to get comfortable where he sat. Besides, it wasn't like Stan wouldn't make him a fake ID if it ever became necessary. So who cared? He was more worried about being exhausted from moving everything and bored of listening to Dipper get annoyed with him all day. Though in retrospect, he should've predicted his boyfriend would react badly to constant inuendos and obnoxious singing the entire afternoon. But he had to liven things up somehow. He'd been in danger of becoming brain dead from all the monotonous busy work he'd been subjected to.

Dipper emerged from the other room, staring down at a yellow pad of paper through the frames of his glasses, concentrated. He was chewing on the end of a blue ink pen, a habit he'd long given up on getting rid of. He sat down beside Bill, propping his feet up on the armrest and leaning his back on the blonde's shoulder. "Guess we're finished," he said, sounding just as beat as his boyfriend was. He pulled the pen from his mouth and pressed it against the paper, scrawling down a sentence or two. Bill hummed at that, craning his neck to see what was being written, but as soon as Dipper noticed he lifted a hand up to push the demon's face away. "Nope," was all he responded to him with, lowering his arm once again to go back to what he'd been doing. Bill chuckled at Dipper's insistence on secrecy, shifting to coil his arms around the other and pull him closer.

He buried his nose into Dipper's hair, smiling softly. It wasn't often he ever got to be so openly loving towards the brunette, considering the fact that he preferred such things to be private most of the time and Ford hadn't given them any space for privacy since he'd gotten back. So this was.. nice. "How far along is the book, nerd?" Bill questioned without any of his typical cynicism, closing his eyes and enjoying the feeling of warmth between the two of them.

Dipper brought his legs closer to his body, sitting the paper against them as he wrote. "About halfway. Maybe a bit longer," he replied, fidgeting a little to get comfortable. He didn't bother reacting to being called a nerd. He was pretty well used to it, and it was admittedly kind of cute the way Bill only acted this way when the two were on their own anyway. So he simply let it slide. "Not counting all the editing and additional bits I'll probably put in if it needs something more." There was a short moment of silence before he gave a shrug. "I'm just kinda rolling with what I'm given."

Bill laughed quietly at that, pressing his forehead against the brunette's shoulder. "Oh yeesh. Should I be worried?" he asked jokingly, smirking to himself.

Dipper raised a brow at that, letting his head roll to the side and rest against Bill's. He'd never say it aloud, but he'd always quite enjoyed it when Bill tossed away his pride for two seconds to act like they were actually a goddamn couple. Doing nice or affectionate things without any motive to 'move things to the bedroom' so to speak. "It's not like I'm going to kill you off or anything," he mused, raising his free hand to run through light blonde hair gently. Bill chuckled at his remark, and there seemed to be no sarcasm within it. Dipper let his eyes fall closed. He hadn't been this relaxed in a while, and being with the demon on days he wasn't feeling particularly annoying was always nice. It seemed to always serves as a bit of a reminder just how much the two of them actually liked each other when they weren't going to war over unimportant things. Dipper sighed quietly to himself. How on earth had he managed to fall so far for someone like Bill?

God, he'd never be able to comprehend that.

Although, he was strangely content with it.

"This is weird," he finally said, clicking the pen in his hand a few times before sitting it down on his notepad. Dipper of course had no complaints about any of this, but it all just seemed so out of place, despite his comfort. His other hand lowered to his side.

Bill lifted his head, brows furrowed in interest, though he seemed puzzled as well. "Weird?" he questioned, eyes full of curiosity.

Dipper hummed. "Weird." He looked down at his own writing for a moment, then back up. "Haven't you noticed how there's always something going wrong?" he asked, though he felt that could have been worded a bit more eloquently.

There was a short moment of silence before the blonde scoffed. "That's kind of a normal day for us, kid," he retorted, smiling like he found Dipper's revelation amusing. But he supposed he knew that wasn't what the brunette had meant entirely.

Dipper shook his head, seemingly a little irritated. "No- I mean.." He stopped and thought about it before going on and making a fool of himself. "The nightmares, the panic attacks, the threats, all of it. They're always happening."

Bill frowned. "Yeah. And?"

Dipper gave an exasperated sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "But they haven't been," he went on, letting his head fall back onto Bill.

"Isn't that a cause for celebration?" the demon asked. He didn't feel like addressing what he was painfully aware his boyfriend was getting at.

Dipper exhaled, his frustration evident. "It hasn't been happening since your last episode," he finally hissed out, forcing the conversation into a corner in which things had to be revealed.

Bill groaned loudly, annoyed. "Kid, am I not allowed to have secrets anymore?" He was obviously avoiding the question, but he didn't care much. Dipper's expectations of his integrity were unrealistic, and he had to know that.

Of course he did.

He simply didn't care. "No," the brunette said matter-of-factly. "We made a deal, and I shouldn't have to constantly remind you of it."

Muttering to himself, Bill unwound his arms from around Dipper, which was a little disappointing, but the brunette didn't show it. He closed his notebook and pushed the pen over his ear so he didn't lose it, pushing himself to the other side of the couch. He twisted himself around to face Bill, an expectant expression on his face. The simper he wore was obnoxiously cute, and the blonde had to bite his tongue to keep from pointing that out. He was being interrogated, after all. "Look, she offered me a deal and I didn't take it. It really was that simple," he admitted with a soft huff, shrugging his shoulders. He purposely left out the fact that he'd nearly taken her offer. Dipper didn't need to know that. It was a mistake he'd not make again, so he didn't feel the need to worry about it.

"I can't really imagine why she's stopped bothering us lately. Maybe it's to lull us into a false sense of security. But regardless of her reasoning, she's running low on time," Bill continued, his voice a bit less pitched than it usually was. He supposed that was because he actually felt like he could be at peace for more than twenty seconds. It was pleasant, despite the fact that Dipper was looking at him with genuine worry. "We just need to fight her off a little bit longer. Once the Nightmare Realm collapses entirely, then she's done for and we can stop being so on edge all the time," Bill said, smiling in a strangely sympathetic manner.

Dipper tipped his head to the side in thought. "Yeah..." he responded blankly, too deep in his own mind to contribute much more to the conversation. He shook his head, then brought his gaze back upwards. Bill seemed so confident and sure of things, but his still fading eye color went against his word. The gray rings around cattish yellow irises seemed less than reassuring. Their glow had all but faded, and they'd long ceased to be so gorgeously bright in the dark. It didn't feel to Dipper that those eyes belonged to Bill anymore, which in itself was unfortunate. They were far from ordinary, of course. How many people walked around with naturally starry eyes in the first place?

No one but Bill.

That was actually somewhat saddening to think about. If he even survived the gradual loss of his abilities, he'd continue to live with eyes drained completely of color. It seemed like a small sacrifice in the long run, but...

It didn't feel like one.

Bill scoffed, a sideways grin on his face. "Take a deep breath, Pine Tree," he soothed, hearing all the brunette's fears being voiced aloud in his head. Dipper did as he was told, looking down at his hands, which clutched his notepad a bit harder than he'd realized prior. He eased his grip up some, swallowing the desire to ask if Bill was only acting level headed to keep Dipper from losing himself. The blonde sighed at all of the anxiousness practically radiating off of his boyfriend, pushing himself forward to lean close to Dipper. The two were just about nose to nose when he stopped. "Listen," Bill drawled in as comforting a manner he could manage, his tone low. He tilted his head to the side and pressed his lips against Dipper's, eyes fluttering shut. The brunette seemed to ease into the kiss without complaint, unwinding enough to tear his hands away from his notepad and wrap them around Bill's shoulders.

When the demon broke away, Dipper seemed at least quite a bit calmer than he'd been. Bill's expression was content, and that was enough right then. There was plenty of time for worry, but little for this. The blonde laughed softly, absorbed in the light blush he'd painted on Dipper's face.

"I'm gonna be alright."


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

"Dipper!" cried the giddy voice of his sister outside his door. "Wake up wake up wake up! It's twin day today, broseph!"

Bill groaned, yanking the blanket away from Dipper. He shoved the half asleep brunette out of bed, then twisted onto his other side, annoyed. "Your sister wants you up," he muttered, eyes still closed. "Why'd you even give her a key?" He buried his face in the pillow, resisting the urge to yell back at Mabel for the constant squeals to get his boyfriend out of bed.

Dipper hit the floor with a thump, and jolted fully awake. His chest heaved, like he'd just woken from a nightmare, which for once actually wasn't the case. He'd finally been given the luxury of sleeping very well and dreaming none at all. That was, until his extremely rude awakening. He forced himself to his feet, glaring daggers at the demon still occupying the bed. "Why'd I give you a key?" he retorted, rubbing his eyes.

Bill didn't move from where he lay. "Because it was my gold," he mumbled, pulling the blanket over his head.

Dipper supposed he couldn't argue with that. Mabel called for him again, and he briefly wondered how many cups of coffee she'd choked down before driving to his house. "I'll be there in a second, sis," he huffed, turning towards the dresser and pulling a drawer open. He didn't care enough to be picky, and grabbed the first things he saw. He quickly dressed himself in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, stepping into the bathroom to fix his bed head in the mirror. What had Mabel even planned to do with the day? Dipper sighed, deciding he'd find out soon enough.

It was far from cold outside, but he snatched a flannel from off his desk chair and put it on anyway. Dipper grabbed his phone on the nightstand, turning it on to look at the time. It was early, or at least too early for this much energy. He chose not to wear his glasses that day, and spun towards the door. As soon as he'd opened it, Mabel had jumped at him, yanking him out into the hallway. She opened her mouth, presumably to yell a bit more, and Dipper pressed a hand over her mouth. He closed the door behind him, shushing her. "Let's take that outside," he said drowzily, his annoyance beginning to lose its edge.

Mabel nodded, bouncing happily. She grabbed his hand and started to lead him briskly out of the house. "Get in," she said with a wide grin, pushing him towards her car.

Dipper stepped towards the other side of it, opening the door. "Where are we going?" he asked blankly, doing as he'd been told.

Mabel did the same, buckling in. She looked over at him, beaming. "Birthday planning!" she cheered, starting the car. "You can't tell me you forgot our birthday again this year, bro-bro. Your own birthday." She reached out a hand and flicked his forehead, to which he chose not to react.

Dipper yawned, shrugging his shoulders slightly. "It's like.. two weeks away. I wasn't worried about it yet, I guess," he admitted as she started to drive. "So what are we doing this year?"

A laugh erupted from Mabel's mouth, maniacal in its own lighthearted way. "You'll see~" she sang, looking happy with herself. Dipper scoffed, but didn't argue it. After a few minutes without him questioning her, Mabel turned on the radio. Some silly pop song started to play, and her brother groaned, giving her his best 'how much do you hate me' face. She just laughed, starting a new conversation instead of torturing him with her singing. "So how are things in the new place?"

Dipper gave the question some thought, looking out the window. "It's nice. We didn't have to rent, which is-"

Mabel snorted with laughter, glancing at her brother. "That's not what I meant, dorkus," she remarked, interrupting his answer. "Let me rephrase that. How are things in the new place with you and Bill?" Her voice was suave, as if to insinuate something beyond the general statement she'd made.

Dipper's brows were creased together in thought and his embarrassed frown was more than a little apparent. "What do you mean?" he muttered, picking up on what she'd asked. Or at least, what he believed she'd asked.

Though it seemed he hadn't guessed her meaning very well. "I want details, that's what I mean. You never let me in on anything and you're both so weird about showing affection in public. But you can't possibly act the same in your own house. So you have to tell me at least a little bit. Like.. Have you guys said your 'I love you's yet?" Mabel droned with a roll of her eyes. She giggled, casting him a knowing expression. "And anyway, what did you think I meant?"

Dipper's spine straightened up in his seat, bright red crawling onto his face. "Nothing!" he choked out defensively, crossing his arms. Mabel's jubilant laughter exploded into his ears before he could go on, but after a minute or so she'd calmed down enough to listen. Dipper's exasperation towards her was evident as ever, but he let it go for the time being. "And no. We haven't," he went on to answer in a slightly agitated tone, crossing his arms.

Mabel gasped in what sounded like utter horror, eyes like medallions. She'd almost stopped the car right then and there, though she somehow resisted doing so. Barely, but that was besides the point. "SHUT. UP!" she wailed so loudly that Dipper actually jumped a bit in his seat. "You haven't told Bill you love him?!" She was practically screeching, and her brother flinched at the disbelieving tone her voice held.

Dipper chuckled nervously, looking down at his hands. He picked uncomfortably at his fingernails. "Nope," he replied, fidgeting a little.

Mabel turned off the radio, something she rarely did when driving. "Why not?" Thankfully she didn't sound quite as bewildered as she'd been, and her voice had lowered to an acceptable volume.

Clawing at the rough edge of a nail he'd previously mistreated in a similar manner, Dipper stammered for words to say. "I-I mean, it's kind of a given.." he said in what couldn't even be considered a whisper.

Mabel shook her head, removing one hand from the wheel to grab his wrist. She pried it off of his other hand, eyes narrowed at the road. "Bro, speak up."

Dipper took a deep breath, forcing himself to pipe up. "It didn't feel like it needed to be said!" he exclaimed, mortified by all of this. Mabel sighed, letting go of his wrist and pinching the bridge of her nose. She had the dumbest twin on the planet when it came to love and how to express love.

"This isn't like when we were little, Dipper. This is an actual, commited relationship with someone," she declaimed, lowering her hand back onto the steering wheel with the other one. "Someone who I'm guessing you want to be with long term. You can't keep avoiding important things like this. Especially not with all this crazy supernatural stuff going on. Things could always get worse, you know..." Dipper had opened his mouth to interject, but stopped himself once the conversation took a turn for the worse.

He was silent for what felt like forever, and Mabel didn't add anything more. She gave him time to gather his thoughts. "Y-you... How long have you known?" It wasn't quite the ideal question, but it was certainly a start.

Mabel scoffed, though her jovial expression couldn't conceal the hurt in her voice. "A while. It wasn't really hard to put together. You and Bill already seemed like a weirdly perfect match, but you didn't really start getting close until... Well, I don't really know what crazy thing it was causing it, but I saw the scratches. I saw his eyes start to fade. And seriously, you couldn't possibly have thought I wouldn't pick up on the constant black outs he's been having. Two days, Dip? Come on." She exhaled, and Dipper could practically feel the disappointment oozing from her normally cheerful form.

His gaze fell to the ground, guilty. "I'm sorry. I just wanted-"

Mabel waved a hand dismissively, perking herself up. "To protect me, I know," she finished, her lips curving upwards crookedly. "Don't worry about it, bro-bro. We can talk things out later. Today is a fun day, and I'm not wasting it!" And just like that, the air of sadness she'd given off had all but disappeared. Dipper nodded appreciatively, grateful she had no desire to press the issue right then. A few minutes passed quietly before Mabel huffed, shaking her head. "I'm gonna leave you alone about it for the day, but if you don't get right on telling Bill I swear to the glitter gods I'll have to smack some sense into you!" Her grin and general demeanor seemed merry enough, but Dipper knew to take her threat seriously.

Regardless, he reciprocated her infectious smile with a laugh. "Alright, alright," he responded. "I will." He raised a brow. "And anyway, if you were so interested, why didn't you just invite Bill along?"

Mabel hummed, disinterested in the idea. "Because we never get to hang out anymore. Just us, you know?" She used her free hand to punch his shoulder, and he rolled his eyes playfully. "And I'm sure he can handle one afternoon alone without burning the house down."

But Dipper made an uncertain noise, looking over at her with skepticism. "I'd say his chances are about fifty/fifty," the brunette admitted.

Mabel snickered at that, amused. "Have faith, broseph! He's probably still sleeping, to be completely honest," she replied, eyes skimming over the road.

Dipper had to hope that was true, for the sake of his home and the townspeople.

Bill grumbled, trying to figure out how the hell coffee machines worked. He'd seen it be done plenty of times by the Pines family, but he hadn't cared enough to pay any real attention. He'd been in this form for months, and he still couldn't do simple things like make fucking coffee. Well, he had somewhat fallen from his original goal a bit in dating Dipper, but he should've still learned these things. "Come on," he hissed lowly, getting more than a little frustrated. Why on earth was this so complicated?

He threw up his arms, done. "Fuck it!" he finally shouted, spinning on his heels to stomp back into the bedroom. He'd just look it up if it was really going to bother him that much. He looked beneath the bed and reached for Dipper's laptop. He opened it up to find that there was a password he needed to input.

"Seriously?!"

There was a knock on the door. Bill groaned, rubbing one of his temples. This morning couldn't possibly be any more infuriating. He pushed the laptop back under the bed and stood up, making his way towards the front door. He sighed, pulling it open to see Pacifica standing on the other end. "I need your-" Her eyes went wide and a dark blush crept across her cheeks. "Why aren't you wearing clothes?"

Bill looked down at himself. He had pants on. What was the problem here? "I am wearing clothes," he retorted, a bored expression on his face. He already made Dipper all red-faced and flustered most days, but he'd prefer not receiving similar reactions from Pacifica. Was that another human thing he didn't quite understand? Or was he just unusual? Either possibility seemed equally as likely.

Pacifica opened her mouth, and her lips moved a bit, but nothing came out for a long time. Bill snapped his fingers in front of her face to pull her attention back upwards, growing impatient with her. She shook her head, snapping out of it. "Well, you're not wearing enough clothes!" she squeaked, raising a hand to shove him back inside. But she stopped before her hand touched his skin, embarrassed. "Just..." She looked down, a hand on her forehead. "Go put on a shirt or something."

Bill crossed his arms, leaning against the doorway. "Alright. On one condition," he said blandly.

Pacifica glared. "What?"

"Show me how to make coffee."

The girl might have been more angry with him if she didn't find the request so damn funny. "Alright, whatever," she sneered, waving him away. Bill seemed like he wanted to say something snide, but decided against it. He shrugged, turning and sauntering off towards his bedroom.

"Make yourself at home and all that," he muttered, stepping into his bedroom.

Pacifica entered, closing the front door behind her. It was a pretty nice place at least, and she had to admit she was impressed with them for getting everything unpacked in a single day. But Dipper had always been very insistent upon getting work done efficiently. The young woman glanced in the direction Bill had gone in, fighting off the wild blush on her face. He was...

Wow.

The sound of Bill's laughing touched her ears and she stiffened. "Thanks, kiddo! But it's nothing I didn't already know," he cooed in his usual cocky tone. Pacifica twisted around to face him with a sheepish expression. Bill adjusted the sleeves of an amber button up, smirking obnoxiously at her. "Better? Really, I don't see what the problem was. In my last form I didn't wear anything but a bowtie and no one even bat an eye."

Pacifica frowned, embarrassed she found him attractive in any way. "You were a geometric shape," she remarked.

Bill whistled. "You never struck me as a closet racist." He crossed his arms, his lopsided grin spreading wide across his face. "I'm wounded."

Pacifica closed her eyes for a couple seconds to gather herself. Whatever had the demon being more sarcastic than usual, it was annoying. "I need to speak with you," she said, tapping a foot in impatience at him.

Bill hummed, pointing a finger at the coffee machine. "First thing's first, Blondie. Your dream girl wouldn't let me get any sleep earlier this morning," he stated simply, blinking.

Pacifica resisted the urge to smack herself on the forehead. "Okay fine," she hissed, pulling the top off the machine. "This is the most difficult thing you'll ever learn, so pay real close attention, genius." She grabbed the carafe by its handle and sat it beneath the faucet. "Now, I really, really need to talk to you about some things." She turned on the water and filled the jug, then poured it all into the coffee maker. "Heh.. Well, namely... Mabel."

Bill watched her, noting each step. "Oh, yeah? And what about her?" He had a hunch, but he figured he might as well ask anyway.

Pacifica sighed, avoiding his gaze. "You know what," she snapped, heat rushing to her face. "Now where are the coffee grounds?" Bill huffed, reaching up to one of the cabinets and pulling them out. He handed them to her, watching her grab a filter to put the grounds in. "Besides, you're the only person I can ask. And I guess it makes sense because both of us have had about the same amount of experience with love," she admitted, closing the lid over the coffee maker.

Bill didn't seem interested in what she had to say, though. "Love? What do I look like, a cherub?" He chuckled. "Love is just a chemical produced in your brain. It really doesn't mean anything, kid." He shrugged, and Pacifica turned her head to glower at him so quickly he was shocked she didn't give herself whiplash.

"What?!" she practically roared, but he didn't appear fazed by it. A bit irritated by the volume of her voice, but not quite enough that he'd respond to it. "What's that supposed to mean? I swear you'd better not be planning to hurt Dipper or I will end you, got it?" She was seething, and Bill couldn't put his finger on why. But Pacifica felt she had every right to be protective over her friend, especially considering the entire town's past with Bill. As much as she liked him - despite his cocky mannerisms - she had remained extremely suspicious of the demon.

Bill just stared back at her, completely stone faced for once. "I couldn't hurt him even if I wanted to. And anyway, what's got you so on edge? I don't get your weird human obsession with 'love.' It doesn't make sense to waste your short lives chasing after a drug your brain supplies you with anyway."

His little speech only served in making Pacifica even more angry. "You're joking, right?! Or are you just so in denial that you refuse to admit that's exactly what you did from the beginning? The second you got here you pushed yourself on Dipper! You chased after him, not the other way around, got it?" Her eyes blazed with fury, and she got so close to him then that Bill actually started to realize he was genuinely upsetting her. "I pray for your sake this wasn't just some joke to you because Dipper doesn't fake that shit. And I'd hate to see him get hurt because you can't accept the fact that you're just as human as we all are. So don't act all high and mighty like you think you're better, because I won't put myself around that kind of person anymore!"

Bill took a step back, eyes narrowed at her. She had a lot of fire, which he found admirable on most days. But right then it felt more like a pain in his ass. "There's a difference between attraction and love, and both are equally as unnecessary," he remarked, raising his voice a bit, though it didn't even come close to what hers had been.

Pacifica yanked him down by the collar of his shirt so he was level with her. "You're right. But you're completely missing the point of both of those things," she growled, eyes like a snake's the way she glared at him. "Attraction is an interest in a person, whether it's physical or mental or whatever. But love is..." She glanced in the other direction, lips pursed in thought.

Bill cocked an eyebrow. "Oh no, do go on. If you're gonna start lecturing me then you should definitely see it through, Blondie."

Pacifica shoved him away, fuming. "Alright then, co-Blondie. Fine." She took a second to breathe deeply and gather her nerves before she decided to just snap his neck right then and there. The two often got along well, but they bickered like siblings when they didn't see eye to eye. "Love is like this feeling of not wanting to let someone go," she said much quieter, considering her words as she went along. It wasn't like Pacifica had ever voiced such things aloud. It wasn't like her.

Bill looked down at his hand, an expression of disinterest in his eyes. "Sounds pretty selfish."

Pacifica snapped her fingers as if that were the word she'd been searching for. "Yes! It is, but it's okay to be selfish because you make up for it by doing everything you can to keep them happy. You want them to always smile, and you'd do anything to make sure they do. Does that..." Pacifica rubbed her arm, looking down. "Does that make sense?"

Bill just hummed his response, but she was too lost in her thoughts to get angry with him.

"You wanna hold them and tell them it'll be okay when they cry and it's like... It's like looking at a solar eclipse," she went on, grinning like a little kid on Christmas.

Bill snickered at her. "Love is like total darkness to you?" he questioned.

Pacifica just shook her head. "No! It's this crazy amazing phenomenon that's so wild and so impossible to even comprehend. The moon is a speck in comparison to the sun. But it's just far enough away from the sun and just close enough to Earth that for a couple minutes every few years, it completely covers our view of the sun." She gestured her hands around energetically, utterly captivated by her own comparison. "But as it gradually drifts away from us, it'll stop being able to do that anymore. And some people are going to take for granted this beautiful thing they had. It's going to be gone, and only the people that paid it any attention are going to miss it." Her voice cracked a bit in what sounded like distress.

"And the people that didn't... Well, they won't care much. But they'll be the lesser for it, because they missed out on something that should only be possible in fairy tales." Pacifica looked down, a broken expression on her face.

Bill felt a pang of sympathy for her, and his expression softened. "Sounds like something you should maybe tell Shooting Star instead of me," he commented, smiling gently at her.

Pacifica blinked a few times, then brought her gaze up to meet his. "Wait." He'd been berating her for her views three minutes prior. Why'd he sound so empathetic all of a sudden? "Were you just... acting like a jerk to make me say all that?" She didn't sound angry. Just dazed a bit.

Bill chuckled, pointing a finger up at his head. "What can I say?" He shrugged. "I'm the master of mind games."

Pacifica laughed as well, looking relieved. "I swear I could've killed you for that earlier, you stupid clever asshole." She stepped forward a bit and coiled her arms tightly around his torso. Surprised by the gesture, Bill didn't make a move to return it. He just raised a hand up, but left it where it was uncertainly. He was about to once more remind her that he wasn't a hugger, until he heard the sound of Pacifica sobbing into his shirt. "I don't want to get married," she wept, distraught. "I really, really don't want to marry this dumb rich guy who doesn't even know me! I just want to stop being so scared of my parents and confess to Mabel, but... I don't know..."

Bill glanced to the side before hesitantly returning her hug, resting his chin on the top of her head. He wasn't quite sure what to say, so he just remained silent for once in his life, rubbing her back in as soothing a manner he could manage. He let her cry on him for a little while, but after a few minutes, she pulled herself away from him, wiping her eyes. "My makeup must be ruined," she remarked with a small smile, looking down at her hands, which had some of her eyeliner on them.

Bill scoffed in an effort to lift her spirits back up. "Boy, you're all just bundles of drama, you know that?" He didn't sound pretentious saying it though, so Pacifica knew he didn't mean it.

She just giggled softly. "You love us."

He didn't respond, and for what felt like forever neither of them spoke.

Finally, eyes not quite meeting hers, Bill pointed back towards the hallway. "Hey, you're free to clean yourself up in the bathroom if you want," he suggested, pocketing his hands.

Pacifica nodded, stepping past him. "Thank you, Bill... It means a lot, you know," she practically whispered.

It didn't feel like she was thanking him for his offer.

"Hey!" Pacifica called after a few silent seconds. "I think your coffee's done."

Bill looked over at the pot, which was full of freshly brewed coffee and still steaming. "So it is," he said almost blankly, thinking.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

Bill sat against the head board of the bed, staring down at Dipper, who was lying on his stomach doodling in a sketchbook. It looked like he was trying to draw out some sort of character design, labeling things here and there. Bill scoffed at him. "Nerd," he remarked, tousling his boyfriend's tawny mop of hair.

Dipper hummed in response, closing his eyes for a moment. "Hey, uh.. Bill?" He opened his eyes again, glancing in the other direction. He gave thought to what Mabel had told him earlier that day. Or, more accurately put, demanded of him.

Bill's gaze searched Dipper's own averted one, finding the fact that his head was spinning so much rather strange. It was a bit hard to concentrate with all of the jumbled words and ramblings echoing from the brunette's mind into his own. But he'd go with it, he supposed. "Yeah?" he questioned, shaking away Dipper's thoughts to place his focus on the stammering dork beside him.

Dipper lifted his sketchbook and sat it down on the nightstand, sitting his pencil down on top of it. He did the same with his glasses, not looking up at Bill. "Well, I um.." he started, forcing himself to look upwards at the blonde. He chuckled dryly, realizing how childish his fear was. "I love you," he went on in a quiet voice, silent as he waited for Bill to respond.

But after a long while, nothing came. Silence crawled between them, heavy in the air. Bill looked to the other side, frowning. "Go to sleep, Pine Tree," he whispered back, biting the inside of his cheek. It of course pained him to do so, as giving Dipper the cold shoulder wasn't really his favorite thing to do. Especially because he was so taken with the brunette.

It wasn't that he was in denial. He was almost certain after giving it a great deal of thought that what he felt towards Dipper was love. But saying it aloud... Well, the demon had his own reasons for withholding such information. And none of those reasons were particularly cheerful. As upset as it made him to do so, Bill would not respond. Or at least, not in the way his boyfriend had wanted him to.

Dipper's mouth had hung open just slightly for a few seconds. He felt himself reaching his peak of humiliation, and yet hardly a word had been uttered between them. He took a bit to sort out his mortification and disappointment, knowing it would do him no good. Anger was the last thing he needed in this situation. A fight certainly wouldn't have been worth it. Bill was just being difficult.

As usual.

He huffed in slight agitation, turning on his side and facing away from Bill. The blonde wasn't stupid enough to say anything, much less pull him closer. It wasn't like he had a death wish. Dipper reached out a hand and turned off the lamp beside him, and the room went entirely dark, save for the dim glow given off by Bill's eyes. Any other night Dipper probably would have marveled at them, at which Bill would have responded snidely. He'd taken to calling the brunette's fascination with his ever fading eye color some sort of fetish, teasing him. But that night of course was an exception, which bothered the both of them.

It bothered Bill because it meant he really had screwed up, even if his intentions were good.

And it bothered Dipper because it meant he'd be skipping out on what may very well be his last time seeing them.

They could lose what remained of their color anytime. It seemed that no matter how little magic Bill used, it would still deplete eventually. The process was slower, sure, but it became a bit more agonizing in return. Bill succumbed to horrible headaches more and more often as his eyes ceased to glow. There were occasions he would even cough up blood, a symptom he'd hoped to be rid of after the first occurence. Needless to say, he wasn't that lucky. The process of it all could almost be compared to withdrawal, as if Bill's body were detoxicating itself of any magic. What it felt like, however, was more like watching a fire fizzle away. And all that was left was a spark. There was hope for it yet, though it would take a quick wit to restore.

But as intuitive as Bill was and as persistent as Dipper was, nothing seemed to work for them. Which was horrifying in itself, but Dipper would be damned if he turned around just to see how much of the flickering flame was left. He simply stared off into empty space blankly, lost in his thoughts. After a while, he felt the blonde shift, but he paid it no mind. Bill could do what he wanted; it was what he always did anyway.

Annoyed and determined not to let it eat away at him, Dipper pulled the blanket up to cover his head. He closed his eyes and forced his mind to become clear. It was difficult, but he'd much rather push the situation away than overthink it and allow Bill to eavesdrop. Thankfully, it didn't take long for him to become drowsy again, relaxing enough to drift into sleep.

Though it felt no time had even passed when he began to stir again. But he didn't feel tired, nor did he feel rested. It just felt... Was there even a word for this?

Empty?

Hollow?

It was then that Dipper realized he didn't actually feel anything. His eyes snapped wide open when cackling laughter erupted from a slumped over figure of himself as a child. "Sorry kid, but you're my puppet now!" the voice of Bill chirped as Dipper's body pushed itself off the ground and looked up. It slammed its foot down on the laptop Dipper very clearly recalled obsessing over for about a week. His possessed body giggled to itself, staggering around the room like it had never walked a day in its life.

Dipper was rendered speechless for about a minute, but shook away his disbelief. "Y-you're not- What?" he stammered, utterly baffled. The 'puppet' of himself stepped in front of the mirror after getting the hang of walking, hands on it's hips.

"Man, it has been so long since I've inhabited a body!" His body lifted each hand and smacked itself across each cheek, grinning manically. "Pain is hilarious! And two eyes; this thing's deluxe!"

Dipper looked down at his hands, which were noticeably smaller than he remembered. He reached one of them into his chest to find that he phased right through himself. "Shit," he hissed, more than a bit angry his voice came out sounding the way it had when he was twelve.

The puppet snorted in amusement, then outright burst with laughter once it realized it had been responsible for the prior noise. "Woah-oh there, Pine Tree! Watch that mouth of yours," it retorted, doing a little hip wiggle that looked almost silly enough for Dipper to comment on it. "What would your uncle say if he caught you talking like that?" The tone was demeaning, but Dipper was unfazed by it.

He lived with Bill. Had the she-demon really expected to bother him this way?

Dipper crossed his arms. Or, he tried to, but they just kind of went through each other. Grumbling, he let them fall back to his sides. "First of all, I'm a twenty-two year old man. I can say whatever the hell I want. And I've suffered through puberty once before. I will not deal with it again, so fix... this." He gestured towards his childish appearance, his expression less than threatening when it was on a twelve year old's face. "And second of all, Stan would have high fived me. Are you kidding right now?"

Dipper's body frowned, the slitted pupils dispersing as the yellow-ish tint in them bled away. "Alright alright. This obnoxious voice is killing my throat anyway," the she-demon admitted with a shrug, her usual eerie tone returning. She chuckled. "Well, I guess it's hurting your throat, but same difference huh?" She stretched out her arms until they popped, looking somewhat bored. "Anyway, I think I'm going to slip into something a bit more comfortable. You don't mind, right? Of course not." The body she was in began to convulse, and Dipper watched with growing disgust as it morphed into her usual obsidian form.

He opened his mouth to speak, but felt himself drop to the floor before that was possible. His back hit the ground hard, knocking the wind clean out of him, but at least when he looked down at himself he seemed back to normal. Pushing himself begrudgingly to his feet, he narrowed his eyes at the she-demon. "I won't fall for your tricks," he hissed at her, watching her warily. "You're all out of ideas if this is the best you can do."

The demon giggled, taking a step towards him. "Au contraire! I'm just getting started, actually," she cooed teasingly, moving closer to him. Dipper would have avoided her, but it seemed his dreams would continue in a pattern all their own. He was immobile, and it wasn't like he hadn't tried. The she-demon grinned wildly at him, raising her frozen hands to cup his face, which he found both uncomfortable and revolting. "I have so much planned, you know. For you, for your family..." Her smirk spread even further across her face, a feat Dipper hadn't believed to be possible until then. "For Cipher."

Lowering her hands onto his shoulders, she further invaded his personal space. "I've put up with so much. All this bullshit lovey dovey trash. You giving yourself away so easily when I've already told you that you're mine. And boy, am I really going to enjoy the reward I get for being so very patient with you," she purred softly against Dipper's ear, and he resisted the urge to shudder from the sheer cold emanating off of her.

He grit his teeth. "No. Bill's going to-"

The she-demon dug her claws into his shoulders, effectively shutting him up. "Bill's not here. Funny how that works out, huh? First he won't return your affections. Now he won't even help you when you need him. Well, isn't that unfortunate?" she questioned sarcastically. "I mean, you spent all that time making a decent person out of him and what do you get in return? Exactly. Nothing. But I mean, what did you expect? Bill Cipher will always be a manipulative, destructive monster, like myself. It's in our nature, sweetie. You can't just cure it."

Dipper didn't respond, glaring at her with contempt that burned so hot she could almost feel it. The she-demon laughed. "Aw, come on. Don't be that way. You can still go on loving someone that will never love you back, it's none of my business. Besides, you seem to have quite a talent for it!" Dipper was clearly furious over those words, and he had half a mind to lunge at her right then and there. Of course, it wouldn't have mattered regardless of whether or not he could move. But it was the thought that counted.

The she-demon laughed. "Relax, relax. I'm not here to rile you up. I'm here to give you one final choice. And it's to - simply put - hand over that brain of yours. I want control. And I'll get it. But I'd rather avoid the trouble of exerting myself to do so," she said smugly, eyes glowing slits. "Face it, Bill's a goner, and he never cared about you anyway. Your family though... They still have the potential to be saved. Just hand yourself over."

Dipper rolled his eyes, wishing more than anything he could move because her presence so close to him was almost suffocating. "Not going to happen," he growled, his shoulders stiffening once her claws buried themselves a little further into his skin. He'd never understand how she gave off such an icy aura, but it burned like nothing else when she injured him. Still, he held his ground. Though it wasn't like he had a choice even if he didn't want to. "I told you, your tricks aren't working. So just give it up already." When he stopped talking, she was entirely silent as well.

At least, for quite some time. She made a sound that Dipper supposed would have been a sigh had it not sounded so empty and airy. She let go of his shoulders, and he breathed out his relief at the loss of the immense pressure on his skin. "I'm afraid I can't do that. And I suppose if you're not going to help me willingly then I'll have to go to drastic measures. Of course, I would have liked to avoid that, but I'm sure you figured out already that my time's running out," she explained with an emphasis on her exasperation, turning away from Dipper.

"Next time you see me, you won't know it. And that's going to spell the end of your resistance."

She disappeared before Dipper could ask her what she meant, and the room they'd been in began to fall apart at the seams. The wood of the walls appeared to melt away and the ground cracked and fell away at his feet. He looked downwards, his heart beating out of his chest once a sickening snap touched his ears. He lifted a foot to move away, but before he even had an opportunity to do so, the boards collapsed beneath him.

Dipper gasped, shooting a hand upwards to grab at something he could hold on with. His eyes went wide and his lungs felt like they may give out any minute. After a few moments of catching his breath, he realized he was on his own bed and no longer dreaming. He pulled his hand back and stared at it, dazed. Bill groaned as if his sleep had been disturbed, and he twisted onto his other side to face Dipper. His eyes were barely open, but they still conveyed just how irritated he was. "Pine Tree, what are you even doing?" he grumbled drowsily.

Dipper furrowed his brow, an expression of distaste on his face. "You should know," he muttered back, sitting up and giving thought to what he'd been told by the she-demon. "Another nightmare." He stood up, running his fingers through his bangs.

Bill seemed deeply alarmed by this, and juat about fell out of bed trying to comprehend it. "What?!" he exclaimed, now fully awake and following after Dipper. "I didn't even..." He looked down for a few moments, eyes spiraling with questions. Almost literally, it seemed.

Dipper just crossed his arms. He remained silent, watching Bill attempt to absorb what had happened. But his mind certainly wasn't blank. He hadn't bothered with the effort this time. Bill glanced upwards, listening in on his thoughts. That was when a couple caught his attention and he snapped his gaze towards Dipper's, fury blazing on his face. "That's what you think?!" he might as well have screamed, an echo to his voice a normal person wouldn't have been capable of. His face was red from anger, with bright crimson hues to match.

To this, of course, Dipper wasn't fazed. "You tell me," he responded blankly, noticing the way Bill was trembling from his rage. His hands were balled into fists at his sides and he looked like someone Dipper might have actually been afraid of... If of course he weren't Bill.

The blonde grit his teeth, staring down his boyfriend for what could have been an eternity. Or maybe just a minute. He didn't really feel the effect of time when he was as livid as he was then. "Don't" He paused to settle his nerves, the tingling urge to literally set himself ablaze becoming a bit of a nuisance to him. "play that game with me, Pine Tree. I don't care about you? Is that really what she used to get under your skin? What is this, teenage fucking drama? I'm doing everything I possibly can right and you still think there's a reason to doubt me? Kid, I'm trying. And that's a hell of an achievement, considering the fact that in doing so, I'm fighting off the natural goddamn will I have to do the exact opposite." He adjusted his hands when it became apparent to him that he was beginning to cut into his palms with his fingernails.

He took a step forward, pressing his index finger against Dipper's shoulder accusingly. The brunette actually seemed somewhat caught off guard by Bill's behavior. "I've done everything to win you over. And why? What other reason would I possibly have besides the fact that I simply enjoy you? And you still haven't cut my name off the list of people you don't trust! Has it occurred to you that I didn't see your stupid fucking dream because I didn't know about it? Is it maybe setting in now that I can't do that anymore?" Bill stopped for a moment, watching Dipper's face go from angry to thoughtful to outright guilty before he went on. "Because it certainly has for me! Ever think about what happens when I just lose all these traits that make me me? I do! All the time! And once they're gone, I have nothing more to lose- except you. You. Do you even realize how offended I am that you picked her word over mine? How fucked up is that?!"

Dipper opened his mouth to say something in return, but it seemed he'd been rendered speechless. Boy, had he never expected Bill to be right in an argument. Like, ever. But the blonde was just full of surprises, wasn't he? And it made Dipper feel like even more of an asshole because Bill clearly had a lot he wasn't telling his boyfriend, but it was all kind of just stuff he should have known or picked up on anyway.

And Dipper probably should have been giving him more credit for the fact that he was clearly making an effort. "I-I'm sorry," he choked out, eyes a bit wide in realization. Bill was constantly paying attention to little things about Dipper, and the brunette had thought he himself had done well in doing the same. But that clearly wasn't the case when it actually hit him just how much his boyfriend had managed to keep from him.

Bill's shoulders relaxed after some time spent considering the sincerity of Dipper's apology. Deciding he would have fought more if he hadn't meant it, Bill let the whole issue go. Sort of. He was still angry, obviously. It went without saying he'd be a bit agitated over something like that. "Okay," he said quietly, his voice a bit tired from yelling so much. Being a human meant he actually felt his limits and was even forced to develop some form of inside voice. He closed his eyes and let them turn back to their normal color. Even a task that small had grown strenuous in regards to his powers. He felt a bit dizzy from it, and sitting down was probably a wise decision. But it wasn't a decision he made, because he had other plans that morning. "We're going to see Sixer."

Dipper frowned, somewhat confused. It wasn't like Bill to seek Ford out. The two of them were far from comfortable around each other and typically made it a habit to avoid the other. "Why?" he asked, interested.

Bill hummed, turning towards the closet and pulling something out of it to wear. He grabbed whatever seemed to catch his eye first and began to change into them. "Two reasons," he started, pulling a yellow sweater Mabel had given him over his head. "Number one: I need as much help as I can get to ensure I even make it through this. And two: I clearly need to do a bit more to prove that I'm not going to turn on you." His tone sounded a bit hurt near the end, but the edge it took on more than covered that up.

Dipper glanced to the side, brows curved upwards in worry. "You don't-"

But Bill wouldn't have it. "Get dressed, kid. I want to get this over with as quickly as possible," he commanded, turning to see Dipper sigh and do as he'd been told without another word. That was good, at least. Bill wasn't in the mood to take his time. He wanted to go see Ford immediately, before he went back on doing so. And the brunette seemed to understand this, throwing on an outfit and grabbing his things to leave.

It was a fairly quiet drive to the Mystery Shack, but neither seemed bothered by it. Bill stepped in through the front door with Dipper behind him, grateful Melody was out of sight. She still hadn't quite warmed up to him, so he'd rather not make a scene for her to further judge him with. Dipper watched him curiously as he strode towards the vending machine and input a code. It made a noise, pushing itself out of place. Bill snickered, "Still hasn't changed it." He slipped through the opening, and Dipper started to do the same when Bill placed a hand on his shoulder. "You stay up here."

Dipper looked as if he wanted to argue, but decided he'd done enough of that already. With a sigh, he stepped back and allowed Bill to go alone. Which was worrisome, but he couldn't really do anything about it. The blonde felt the ground beneath him shudder, and the sensation of movement could be felt for a few seconds before stopping. The door reopened in front of him, revealing Stanford's office. "How'd I know you'd be here?" he asked sarcastically, stepping out of the elevator and towards the old man at his desk.

Ford looked up at him, visibly ticked off. "What do you want, Cipher? I'm working," he responded gruffly, eyeing the blonde suspiciously.

Bill scoffed, placing a hand over the paper Ford was writing on. He wanted undivided attention, and he was determined to get it. "I want you to help me look into creating a temporary magic source. There's nothing strong enough in the woods, and interdimensional travel for something better is impossible without creating... difficulties," he explained with a sigh, catching Ford's interest.

"And why would I do that?" he questioned, glaring as Bill sat down on top of his desk and crossed his legs.

Bill just shrugged. "In case you haven't figured it out yet, Fordsy, there's something powerful after the town. And I can't really do anything about it the way I am," he admitted with an ounce of frustration. "Besides, I kinda like this place, and I don't really wanna see it destroyed." He laughed. "Mostly of course because I'd have to suffer through that too. Self preservation, you know."

To this Ford was extremely skeptical. He was smart enough to know that was the most bullshit reason the demon could have given him, but bringing up the obvious real motivation to do such a thing seemed pointless. Either way he didn't really trust Bill. But he definitely did believe sonething was trying to destroy the town. He'd been picking up strange readings for months. "There really isn't a lot I can do. I mean, unless witchcraft is a viable option. I've been conducting experiments on certain chemical compounds I found on my last trip, but they probably aren't much stronger than a stone you could just find in the forest," he responded, pulling his notes from beneath Bill's hand and pointing to the information he'd gathered thus far.

Bill grimaced. That wasn't what he'd wanted to hear. "Sixer, this is important. I know I'm asking a lot, and you have zero reason to trust a word I say, but I'm being as real as I can right now." His tone indicated utmost significance. It had taken a lot to swallow his pride and approach Ford, which had been noted by the man. "I need three things from you. I need you to keep me posted on anything and everything you think could help me stop this thing. At the very least, tell me you can do that," he practically begged, desperation creeping into his voice.

Ford seemed surprised by this, but still gave thought to his answer anyway. He knew that this part of the request was true and Bill had no reason to lie about it. So after a long consideration, he finally gave the blonde a nod. "If nothing else, I suppose I can," he said, though a large part of him didn't like the idea.

Bill knew this, and was grateful Ford had given him the benefit of the doubt. Because his next request may or may not have been the more difficult one. "Second, if anyone - anyone - asks you to put the portal back together or how to reverse the barrier around town... I don't care if it's me, Fez..." He looked down for a moment, then back up again. "Even Pine tree. If they ask that of you, I need you to put a bullet between their eyes, got it? And don't hesitate, because if you do then you'll think too much and they'll get to you that way," Bill cautioned, voice pained a bit. "Because that's not me, and that's not Pine Tree, and that's certainly not your brother. Whoever you think you see won't be, and it'd be better if you just got rid of them."

Ford narrowed his eyes. That didn't make much sense to him. "Couldn't I just knock them unconscious to get rid of the monster?" he questioned warily.

Bill chuckled humorlessly, hands on his knees. "Hate to break it to ya Fordsy, but that doesn't do much good. A dream demon would just get pushed back into their own realm of existence that way. But they, like any other type of demon, can be killed when in a physical form. I don't want things to go that way, but any opportunity is a good one if you ask me." He didn't sound empathetic by any means, but his expression seemed to tell a different story. "Besides, if things really come to that, there's a good chance any other option has been exhausted already."

Ford frowned, thinking that over. As much as he hated to admit it, Bill was right. Forcing the demon out of its host wouldn't be effective in killing it, and erasing it clearly wouldn't work. Bill was living, breathing proof of that. Logically, it made sense to him. But that didn't change how sick he felt about it. The possibility was there, and he knew it. Both of them did, and it showed within their silence.

"Alright, Cipher. I will," Ford agreed after a long inner deliberation. "Now, what's next?"

Bill grinned widely, the tension in the air dispersing almost as quickly as it had been created. "I think you'll like this one!" he crooned, pushing himself off the desk and standing up. Ford watched him do so, unamused by his antics. Bill stepped towards the opposite corner of the room, running a hand over a triangular prism on one of the displays. "You can think of it like revenge if you want. I mean, if that makes it more your cup of tea. But I'm gonna need you to put one of those metal bits in my head, and this one isn't negotiable."

Ford's eyes went wide. "What?! Are you insane?!" he demanded, standing up to face the blonde.

Bill laughed, hands on his hips. "Your asking implies you didn't already know that, smart guy!" he replied with a shrug, pointing one hand up at his head. "Regardless, I need this little operation done now. Pine Tree's waiting for me and the longer I'm here the more convinced one of us is being murdered he'll become."

Ford rubbed his chin, thinking it over. "I don't currently have the anesthesia to numb it, so I-"

Bill hushed him, continuing his little stroll around the room. "Don't care. It's now or never, and I won't accept the alternative," he interrupted, picking up a globe in the corner and spinning it in his hands.

Stanford didn't respond for a long while, but Bill decided that was a good sign. "You're serious..." He seemed baffled by the idea, but not entirely opposed. He wasn't quite sure how this effected his view of the blonde. Was it devotion, determination, or stupidity that drove such recklessness? Or was it all three? Ford sighed, turning away from the demon and towards the elevator. "Well come on then. My equipment is on the next floor," he said, entering another code into a keypad on the wall. The elevator opened up, and both of them stepped inside. The ground swayed under them, and once it ceased, the doors reopened.

Ford made his way across the dimly lit room, gesturing towards a black chair. "I'd suggest getting comfortable. It won't last long," he remarked, eyes glazing over the objects on his shelves.

Bill scoffed at that, unsure whether he was proud of Ford's honesty or fearful of it. Either way, dread weighed heavily in his stomach, and he felt nauseous from it. Giving a nervous sigh, he sat down in the chair, fidgeting slightly. It wasn't like him to be so anxious, but newfound human instincts had led pain to become less amusing and more so unpleasant. Ford's soft footfalls drew nearer until he was directly behind the blonde. "Try not to move," he ordered sternly, adjusting the position of Bill's head so it was facing downwards and tipped slightly to the side. "This shouldn't take more than a few seconds, but you're going to want to fight me on this. So I'd say it's probably a good idea for you to find something you can do to occupy your hands. You'll need all the distraction you can get."

Bill didn't really respond to that, but he clasped his hands together in his lap to show he'd been listening. His heart was beating like a hummingbird's wings and his throat felt incredibly dry. But he had asked for this, and to do what he wanted, this was necessary. Protecting his mind was top priority, and of course this would help him in doing so. As well as giving Dipper yet another reason to put trust in him.

But the most important reason was nothing like that.

Ford seemed to hesitate. "This is likely the most paranoid thing I've ever done to myself, you know..." he said quietly, as if to convince Bill to go back on his decision.

Of course, to appear paranoid was exactly what Bill had intended. Doing this conveyed vulnerability, made him look as if he'd reached his limit. Bill wanted the she-demon to think he'd snapped. Because if she thought he was that desperate, then she'd underestimate him.

And after all, wasn't that what Bill himself had fallen for ten years ago?

"I didn't ask for a life lesson, Sixer. Just do it," Bill breathed, closing his eyes. He heard a sigh pass Ford's lips, but the old man didn't say anything more. Cold iron pressed itself uncomfortably against the back of Bill's head, just a little above the nape of his neck. An ear-piercing click resonated througout the otherwise soundless room, and Bill grit his teeth.

 _No going back on this now, huh?_


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

Dipper leaned back against the counter in the gift shop. It was Sunday, so the place was empty. It felt strange somehow that no one would be working, because Stan had never taken days off unless the Shack was undergoing maintenance or repairs. But Soos had insisted. He wasn't particularly religious, but his abuelita had been, so for her, he took the day off each week. Even after she'd passed, it had become somewhat of a tradition for him and Melody.

Dipper tilted his head back to look at the ceiling. "Heh.. I think I'm still pretty terrible at this whole dating thing," he mused aloud, pushing himself up to sit atop the counter.

Mabel giggled at him, beaming cheerfully. "I'll give you some boy advice later, broseph," she replied, her hands on her hips. "Hey, speaking of which, where is Bill?"

Dipper made a face. "Downstairs with great uncle Ford." He looked down at his hands, chuckling awkwardly. "We got into a really stupid argument. Well... More like I said one thing and then got screamed at for five minutes... So that was fun."

Mabel pursed her lips, eyes narrowed skeptically. "But did he have a good reason?"

To this Dipper didn't really know how to reply. "I mean, yea-"

A pained scream erupted from the basement, muffled but still clear enough for Dipper to recognize the voice. Eyes wide, he darted off towards the vending machine, his sister directly behind him. "That didn't sound very promising, bro-bro. Who told you it was a good idea to leave those two in a room together?" Mabel questioned worriedly, watching him input the only code he remembered.

Dipper pulled the vending machine open and stepped inside the elevator. Mabel followed him, playing nervously with her hair. "Bill said not to follow him," he huffed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Of course, he'd known that was a horrible idea. But it wasn't like Bill could hurt anyone; it went against their deal.

That certainly didn't say anything about Ford, though.

The elevator door opened up, and Dipper was happy to see that he'd used the correct code. Ford stood behind a black swivel chair, what looked like a gun in his hand. Although the end appeared somewhat strange, like it was made to pierce, not shoot. And it dripped with blood, presumably Bill's, as he was slumped in the chair with his head in his hands. He grumbled profanity loudly, eyes clenched shut. He was shaking violently, the entire back of his head stained red. "Bill, what the hell happened?!" Dipper exclaimed, rushing to his aid and kneeling in front of the blonde. Mabel lunged at Ford, grappling for the strange-looking gun in his hand, but he held it high above her head.

"He asked me to do this, kids," Ford pointed out defensively, a hand on her shoulder. She opened her mouth, brows furrowed, but nothing quite came out right.

Dipper glanced upwards at his uncle, then back down at Bill. "What did you do?" he asked, placing a hand on his boyfriend's shoulder.

Bill lowered his trembling hands after a moment, his palms bloody. "What I had to..." he choked out, lifting his head, although the process of doing so seemed agonizing. He winced, eyes watery and not quite focused on anything, but he seemed really intent on directing them towards Dipper. "Do you trust me now?"

Dipper might've flinched at that, stung he'd been the cause of this. But he nodded anyway, biting his lip and fighting off the urge to avert his gaze. "I'm sorry.. I was an ass and you have every right to totally be mad at me, but I swear if you do something like this again..." He sounded serious, despite the fact that Bill laughed hoarsely.

"How many more plates in my head could I possibly need, kid?" He grinned, but Dipper still didn't feel right about it.

He sighed, standing up. "I'm not joking, Bill," he muttered, leaning over him and pressing a hand gently against the wound. The blonde hissed, but didn't fight him. "You're still bleeding," he went on, looking at his hand. Bill's hair was entirely coated, and it was beginning to dry into a nasty brown. Dipper looked up at Ford, who had turned away to wipe off his gun and put it away. "Do you have any bandages?"

Ford nodded, opening up a drawer and pulling out some gauze. Mabel reached out and took them. She silently strode towards Bill, pushing her brother as politely as she could out of the way. Leaning down, she began to unwind it and dress the injury. Bill wrinkled his nose, but said nothing. He didn't look like he even had it in him to be snarky. "Make sure to change those once you two get home," Ford advised, still going through drawers in search of something. "Don't let him do anything else today either. Make sure he stays in bed and doesn't push himself. If that opens up again, you'll probably have to send him to the hospital, and the first thing they'll do is remove the plate. Ah!"

He pulled an orange bottle of pills from a compartment in his desk. He spun around and outheld it towards Dipper. "Pain killers. He won't need them long, but he's gonna have quite a migraine for a couple days. And those should ease it up enough for it to become bearable," Stanford explained, handing them over to Dipper. The young man looked over the label, interested.

"Weren't these for your shoulders?" he asked, glancing back at his sister, who was tucking the end of the gauze into itself tightly enough that it wouldn't come undone. He shook the bottle lightly, the pills clinking against each other a bit.

Ford shrugged. "I'm old, my boy. Everything hurts all the time," he replied blankly, waving a hand dismissively. "Take them."

Bill scoffed, forcing himself to stand. "Aww gee, Fordsy. You do care," he remarked, smiling innocently at the man.

Ford didn't seem amused, though. "Okay, kids, out of my lab. I'm busy," he mumbled, turning away from them to do his own thing. Bill chuckled, stumbling over himself a bit until Dipper rushed to his side and steadied him. The blonde wrapped an arm around his shoulders, balancing him. He felt dizzy, and the back of his head might've been bashed in, it hurt so badly. His vision was blurred. He was seeing double, but Dipper was guiding him where he needed to go, so he didn't feel all that lost. Mabel exchanged a few words with her uncle before following after the boys, the rest of the guaze in her hands.

They rode the elevator back up to the ground floor and Dipper helped Bill to the exit. Mabel darted ahead of them and held it open. Dipper nodded appreciatively at her, leading his boyfriend to the car. Bill nudged him off, pulling open the car door and sitting down inside on his own. "Thanks," he muttered, leaning forward and cradling his head in his hands once again. Dipper closed the door for him, sighing in exasperation.

He shared a look with his sister. "You're a life saver, you know," he said, smiling at her, though he seemed tired from the day's stress, and it had barely even started. it was only about one in the afternoon, after all.

Mabel hummed, giving him the gauze. "Oh, I'm well aware, Dippingsauce," she replied playfully, running a hand through her hair. She smiled jubilantly. "I'll text you some stuff about how to deal with him over the next few days, alright?" Dipper nodded gratefully and she winked. "Plus some of that dating advice I mentioned earlier," she giggled. Dipper rolled his eyes.

"Thanks, Mabes." He hugged his sister for a few moments before letting go of her and turning back towards his car. "I'll see ya later." She nodded at him, giving a slight wave before going in the other direction and back inside the Shack. Dipper got in the car and put on his seatbelt. He grabbed the water bottle that sat in one of his cupholders, then handed it to Bill, along with the gauze. He opened up the pill bottle and poured two of the white capsules into his palm. "Take these," he ordered, holding them out. Bill did as he was told and tossed them into his mouth. He took a swig of the water, tipping his head back to swallow the pills. They left a bitter taste in his mouth, but he didn't bother complaining.

Dipper twisted the lid back onto the orange bottle, then leaned over to put it in the glove compartment. He started the car, pulling out of the driveway. "Those are narcotics, so expect a bit of a high," he warned, and Bill choked out a sound to show he'd been listening.

Dipper was actually a bit worried the medication would be too strong for him. He'd taken only a handful of them before, and never once something quite so potent. People built up immunities to pills with time, but Bill hadn't even started. So he'd probably be more than a little out of it that day.

Of course, Dipper had been right to believe this. By the time they'd gotten home, Bill was grinning ear to ear and making triangle puns like it was going out of style.

Or more accurately, like it had ever been in style.

But at least that meant he didn't feel much of the pain. The brunette decided he preferred it this way over having to watch Bill be miserable for the next few days. He guided his boyfriend into the house, then sat him down on the edge of their bed. "Tip your head," he said, unravelling more of the gauze to replace it. Bill did what he'd been asked.

"I meant downwards, stupid," Dipper huffed, rubbing one of his temples.

Bill giggled like a child before tilting his head the way his boyfriend wanted him to this time. Dipper pulled the bandages off of him, then began the process of replacing them. This of course, was difficult because Bill was so fidgety under the effects of the drugs. But he somehow managed to do it after some time. "Lay down," he said as softly as he could, trying really hard to be patient with his boyfriend.

Bill pulled at Dipper's arm. "Lay with me," he replied drunkenly, stumbling over his words.

Dipper sighed, gently pulling the blonde's hand off of him. "Bill, I have other things to do today," he explained, a sympathetic expression on his face.

But his boyfriend wouldn't have it. "I'm more important," he insisted, a simper adorning his lips. Bill was clearly pouting, and the problem was, it was kind of adorable. "Pleeaaase?"

A few seconds passed. Dipper really couldn't say no to that. He was too weak to put up a fight against Bill's neediness. Especially when he found it so endearing. "Alright alright. Just let me get rid of your old bandages first," he conditioned, and Bill nodded cheerfully. Amused, Dipper spun towards the door and made his way towards the kitchen. He threw away the bloodied gauze, then decided he'd check his phone for any messages from Mabel.

Surely enough, he'd gotten one.

Lots of water! And sleep too. Don't use any bandages after it's closed up, and don't let him take those pills more than ONCE a day. Even if he complains. Also no physical exertion. So that means no naughty business until he feels better! Got it, broseph?

Dipper felt his face heat up at her mention of 'naughty business', but he ignored it. He noted her directions, sending her his thanks. He'd always thought she'd make a great nurse or doctor. It was a shame she hadn't gone into the medical field. Since she was little, she'd had a real talent for caring for sick people and making them feel better. But Mabel hadn't wanted to go to college. She'd said it just wasn't her thing, and she would've much rather started her own clothing line from the comfort of her home in Gravity Falls. And she had.

Or at least, she was working on it. She made money selling her products online, and with that money she planned to open up her own shop in town. But it was a long, difficult process. Dipper would probably end up asking Bill to spare some of the gold he seemed to have hidden all over the place to help her further her career. And there was no doubt the blonde would do it in a heartbeat. Pacifica would as well, but her parents were stingy with their money more so than ever after getting their mansion back from Fiddleford.

Just when Dipper spun around to go back to his room, his phone buzzed again. Another text from his sister, most likely the boy advice she'd offered him. He chuckled quietly, opening it. He read over it and scoffed, once again sending her a thank you in reply. He pocketed his phone and stepped back into his room, where Bill was sitting in his desk chair with his legs crossed and a book balanced on top of his head. He stared back at Dipper with a toothy grin. The cover of the book read 'Unsolved Mysteries and Paranormal Phenomenon'. Dipper sighed, taking a few steps towards the blonde. "Bill, what are you doing?" he questioned, caught between amusement and annoyance.

Bill pulled the book off his head and held it out. "Going through your dork stuff," he cooed teasingly, standing up. "Read it for me. I can't really see the words well right now." He snickered at his own intoxication.

Dipper sighed, taking the book and pressing a hand against Bill's shoulder. He led the blonde to the bed. "Lay down then. You're going to hurt yourself more if you move around too much," he pointed out in as sweet a tone as he possibly could. Bill seemed dissatisfied by this and grabbed Dipper's hand when he sat on the bed's edge.

"Only if you lay with me," he whined, repeating himself. "And read. I like listening to it."

Dipper found that it was impossible to refuse the blonde when he was so affectionate and needy, like all he wanted in the world was Dipper's attention. Honestly, it was just too damn cute. He chuckled, reaching towards the nightstand and picking up his glasses. He put them on and sat down on the bed. Delighted by this, Bill scooted to the side and gave the brunette room to actually sit without falling. Dipper adjusted himself to allow Bill most of the space, then leaned back against the head board.

Bill watched the brunette open up the book and got closer to him. He didn't want space. He wanted to be as close as possible. He wrapped his arms around Dipper's torso with his chin against his boyfriend's shoulder. Dipper laughed softly before picking up the words where he'd stopped last time, reciting them aloud. Bill had always enjoyed listening to him read, which was good because the brunette often muttered the words out loud when he was focused on them anyway. He spoke clearly, tone light and soothing. It was nice, to say the least. And the process of Bill squirming around every sitting or laying position childishly until he eventually settled with resting his head on Dipper's lap was certainly an entertaining one to witness. Dipper smiled down at the blonde. "Comfortable?" he asked, glancing back up at the book.

Bill hummed contentedly, then raised up a hand to tug at Dipper's shirt. "Come down here," he mumbled through his half asleep, inebriated haze. He didn't even bother opening his eyes.

Dipper huffed, though it sounded less irritated and more fond. "Make up your mind," he responded, putting his bookmark between the pages and once again sitting the book down on the nightstand. He pulled the specs off his face and put them away as well. Bill took his arms away from the brunette so he could lay beside his boyfriend. Dipper chuckled, moving closer to let Bill nuzzle into his chest and hold onto him until they both fell asleep that way.

And that was just about how they spent their time over the next few days. When Bill woke up in paralyzing pain each morning, Dipper would give him two of the pills and comfort him through his agony until they kicked in. And then Bill would be out of it the rest of the day, either in the process of connecting himself to Dipper's hip, sticking his nose into whatever interested him at the moment, or simply sleeping the drug off. It was all he could do until his headaches finally died down to a dull throb, which happened after what Dipper told him had been five days. It had all just blurred together for Bill, but upon discovering it was the twenty-sixth before he was finally in his right mind, he began to panic a bit.

It would be his boyfriend's birthday in only five days and he had no idea what to do for him. Did he even have time to think of something good? He felt like he'd lost the time that had gone by, though it was of course his own fault. He decided he didn't like the sensation of being high all that much. Everything felt too out of his control. And his personality in such a state was a bit too obnoxious for his liking. He much preferred drunkenness, if he really had to choose.

But at least the constant affection from Dipper had been pleasant, even if it was just because Bill was either groaning or begging for it at any given moment in time.

He supposed he could be content with that, though.


	19. Chapter 19

**WARNING: NSFW**

 **Chapter Nineteen**

Dipper and Mabel's twenty-third birthday approached quickly. Elizabeth hadn't made any appearances in dreams, and she seemed almost nonexistent. Life felt normal for once since Dipper had returned to Gravity Falls. Of course, he and Bill both knew she still lurked, watching them, studying them. At any given moment she could pounce, and they wouldn't know it. It could happen anytime, anywhere. Dread weighed on them, just beneath the surface.

Yet they desperately clung to their cheerful facades, laughing with Mabel and speaking as little about the subject as possible. Even Pacifica had requested to be left out of the matter entirely. She'd wanted no part of her "dorky best friend's paranormal romance issues." All of them found this statement fair, and in turn ignored the possible impending disaster altogether. Unless Bill was consulting Ford or Dipper was explaining the situation to Mabel, it simply never came up. But the effects were still felt.

Bill's magic had grown faint, and he either felt amazing or awful at any given moment. Coughing blood had turned to vomiting blood, and if he so much as tried to read someone's mind more ten feet from him, he grew dizzy. He could still hear it when he was close to someone, but just barely. His head felt empty from it. The only voice ever in his brain anymore was his own, and it was driving him mad. The power he'd miss most was the one that took the longest to leave him, which was agonizing in itself. There had always been comfort in hearing Dipper's thoughts. It was one of the things he'd reveled in. Of course, things were different now, silent. Bill didn't like silence.

Actually, he really hated it.

He adjusted his bowtie, looking a bit bored at his expression in the mirror. Dipper was off in the other room, doing who knew what. Which was scary. Bill didn't enjoy being away from Dipper anymore, even for a moment, because there was always the risk something horrible would happen once he turned his gaze away. It was endlessly quiet, and the blonde was ready to burst from the anxiety that gave him. Sighing, he ran his fingers through his hair, uninterested in actually brushing it. Besides, it would probably just hurt the healing wound on the back of his head. And he didn't really need that at the moment. Or at all, for that matter. Especially since he and Dipper were apparently going to spend the evening with Pacifica and Mabel at the Northwest Manor. At least, that's what he'd been told. It was only the twenty-ninth, but Mabel was impatient and wanted to get plastered already. Bill could understand that entirely. He liked her style, to say the least.

Stepping out of the bathroom and into the living room, Bill noticed that Dipper was nowhere to be found. Giving a slight hum, he made his way across the hall, annoyed. The brunette had to know how much the noiselessness bothered his boyfriend. And he certainly did, but that didn't seem to matter at the moment. Bill grumbled to himself, but upon reaching the bedroom he stopped entirely. His eyes went wide, stunned.

Dipper sat in his swivel chair wearing one of Bill's blue dress shirts, which was unbuttoned near the top to reveal his collar bone. He had on a pair of boxers as well to cover himself, but that seemed to be about it. A smirk spread across his face at Bill's starstruck expression. Oh, he could already tell this was going to be a fun little endeavor. Dipper stared mischievously up at the blonde through frames that accented the look he'd gone for perfectly, adding onto the intended effect. "Surprised?" he asked in a honeyed tone, chuckling when Bill didn't respond for a moment.

Bill really didn't know why, but for some reason unknown to him, his initial reaction wasn't to grab Dipper by the arm and push him down onto the bed.

Honestly, he was a bit embarrassed by what his actual reaction was.

"What happened to going out?" Bill asked upon regaining his composure, as if that were the correct question to be asking.

It wasn't like he was complaining about the situation he found himself in. Because he definitely was not. But this had certainly taken him by storm. Which was a good thing, because that's exactly what Dipper had wanted.

The brunette hummed in amusement, standing up and taking a few careful steps towards the demon. He grinned wolfishly, placing one hand on Bill's side while the other toyed with the collar of his shirt. He slipped a finger beneath the knot of the bowtie and pulled it apart meticulously. "Pacifica was busy so plans changed. Anyway, I figured I'd find another way for us to enjoy the evening," he said smoothly, trailing a finger down his boyfriend's vest once the bowtie had been undone. Bill shuddered, eyes fluttering shut when Dipper tilted his head forward and brushed their lips together. A short moment passed and he broke the kiss to laugh quietly. "Before anything though, we should probably close the door."

Bill turned to do just that, almost a bit too eagerly, but stopped. "You gave Shooting Star a key, didn't you?" he asked, raising up a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. Dipper was silent for a few seconds, thinking about it. Then he broke whatever character that had been and groaned, annoyed at himself.

Bill huffed, but decided absolutely nothing was going to ruin what promised to be an eventful night for him. He twisted back around, looking for his boyfriend's phone. Once he spotted it, Bill snatched it off the nightstand and held it out towards his boyfriend expectantly. Knowing what he wanted, Dipper sighed and took it from his hand. He input his passcode then handed it back. He watched in confusion as the blonde turned and left the room, then headed outside. Dipper followed after him, but didn't go past the living room looking the way he did. He was highly familiar with everyone in town, and they all knew him well. He could hardly imagine the embarrassment he'd suffer if a neighbor saw him with his boyfriend, barely dressed in what was clearly supposed to be seductive attire.

He'd never hear the end of it.

Bill pulled the bowtie from his neck, snickering as he wound it neatly around the doorknob. He opened up the camera. Glancing back inside, where Dipper seemed to be watching him impatiently, he snapped a photo of the door. Bill then scoffed at the stupid picture and sent it to Mabel, knowing for sure she'd get the hint. It was kind of obvious, but it made things clear, at least. Stepping back inside, Bill locked the door and tossed the phone on the couch. Dipper raised one of his brows in annoyance. "What are you even doing?" he asked, crossing his arms. But Bill was determined not to let the mood die down entirely or this opportunity pass him up.

Without even stopping to answer the brunette, he paced back towards him and reconnected their lips, pushing forward until Dipper's back was against a wall. The brunette placed his hands on Bill's shoulders, smirking to himself. He trailed them downwards, grasping the hem of Bill's vest and pulling it up. Bill parted from him to take it off, fastening his lips back to Dipper's as soon as the article of clothing left his hands. The brunette gave a little satisfied noise at that, tipping his head upwards once Bill began trailing the kisses down his neck.

"You wear too many layers," Dipper remarked teasingly, fingers carefully pulling away at the buttons of Bill's shirt. He shuddered, a trembling sigh escaping him as teeth met his skin.

The blonde hummed, removing the shirt without pulling himself away from the task at hand. After a few moments, he stopped to assess the damage, happy with the dark bruise he'd left on the crook of Dipper's neck. It would serve as evidence that he belonged to Bill and only Bill. "It wouldn't have been a problem had I been warned," he responded snidely, tracing his thumb down his boyfriend's jaw before moving onto that spot as well, biting at the outline experimentally. Had he foreseen this scenario a few months ago, he would have probably been disgusted at himself. Sexual desire was a purely primal, purely human trait. And it practically radiated between the two of them.

Not that Dipper minded in the least, of course. He laughed breathlessly, lowering both of his hands. "Where's the fun in that?" he questioned teasingly, pressing a finger against the button of Bill's jeans. His other hand came down to rest on his boyfriend's thigh, travelling upwards. He was about to undo it when both of his arms were grabbed tightly by his wrists and shoved above his head.

He almost jumped in surprise, and Bill sneered. "I'm going to decide the pace this time, Pine Tree," the blonde growled lowly, grip tight. He had Dipper pinned against the wall, entirely vulnerable to him. Which was exactly what Bill wanted. He didn't feel like rushing. This was something he'd take his time with, enjoying every moment of it. Before the night was over, Bill would have the taste of Dipper's skin engraved in his brain. And he was certain he'd achieve his goal. Which was perfectly alright on both ends. Dipper had absolutely no qualms with the way his body was being treated. He'd been in the mood for such an occasion anyway, and was actually rather pleased he'd earned such a reaction from Bill.

The brunette grinned. "Fine then," he retorted, exhaling softly when Bill's free hand began to roam, pulling his shirt open frustratingly slow. After what felt like an eternity though, the buttons had all been undone, and Bill had gone back to work on Dipper's neck, trailing down towards the collar. He sucked on the upwards incline of his bone, ever deliberate in his endeavors.

No matter what he touched, it all felt so indescribably 'Dipper'. He had no other explanation beyond that as to why he enjoyed this so much. He just did. Bill wanted to kiss every inch of Dipper, feel the arches and divots and curves of skin beneath his fingertips. There was no rhyme, no reason to it. He just knew:

He wanted to claim it all for his own.

So he kept his pace slow for the moment, his hands on Dipper's hips and thumbs tracing little circles on bare flesh. His lips trailed up the bend of Dipper's neck gently, nipping at it here and there. Listening to the sound of the brunette's breathing go from fast to even faster until he was gripping the wall with his fingers and trembling beneath Bill's touch, the blonde continued his ministrations. "Sh-shouldn't we - nng - take this to the.. To the bedroom?" he asked almost inaudibly, mouth hanging open slightly. His eyes were foggy and unfocused, and his voice came out pleading.

Regardless, Bill didn't relent. He pressed a kiss to Dipper's ear, smiling against his warmth. The brunette's voice hitched in his throat, and Bill felt his hands tense up the tiniest bit beneath his hold. "No," he crooned, sliding two of his fingers beneath the waisband of Dipper's boxers. He felt the way his boyfriend shivered at his very touch and savored the fact that it was him that reduced Dipper to such a lovely, breathtaking mess. Bill tugged at his boxers and dragged them downwards. From the brunette's mouth, the smallest hiss could be heard, as if that was the most relieving feeling he'd ever experienced. "I want you here. Right. Here." His voice was silken and sent chill's along Dipper's spine. As sexy as that was, he couldn't bring himself to respond to it. He just nodded his head, heart pounding in his ears as Bill's hand touched him.

Giving the brunette's newly exposed prick a tug, Bill locked his lips with Dipper's. He practically forced his tongue into the other's mouth, but neither seemed opposed to the idea. He wanted to memorize that taste as well, the strange mix of spearmint, saliva, and something else entirely Dipper's. Yet another thing that was incredible and unexplainable that Bill would never get enough of.

God, had he always been this hopeless? The brunette groaned, brows furrowed. The sound of it went straight between Bill's legs, and he realized then that yes, yes he had always been that hopeless.

Dipper's head was spinning. Everything seemed to be happening all at once. His hands above his head, the light throb of the love bites on his skin, and Bill's infuriatingly slow-paced hand pumping his cock were all a bit much to process. But he seemed to be doing pretty well in keeping up with it considering the amount of haze fogging his brain. Bill made a noise in the back of his throat, pulling away from the kiss to catch his breath. Which was good, because Dipper's chest was heaving with the effort it took to do so anymore.

Bill beamed at the ravaged puddle of desire he'd made of the brunette, removing his hand from Dipper's arousal completely. That earned him a whimper from his boyfriend, who let his head fall back against the wall pathetically. "B-Bill... Fuck me already," he choked out, labored breaths coming out in puffs. Bill snickered, dragging his lips against Dipper's neck so they just barely brushed the skin.

"Oh, I'd be happy to, Pine Tree," he purred, trailing his now free hand to play with the brunette's adorably ruffled hair sweetly. "But first, tell me who you belong to." He pressed his lips to one of the purpled bruises on Dipper's collar, then nipped at it to darken it some more. Sure, Bill admittedly did enjoy being on the receiving end of the situation. But he liked making Dipper squirm and moan beneath his touch just as much. He was caught between the urge to control and the desire to be controlled. It seemed there was no real in between with him, even despite his current tenderness towards the brunette.

Dipper rolled his eyes, his hands relaxing against Bill's grip. "Yeah, sure. You want that in writing?" he hissed back impatiently, shifting a bit where he stood. "In case you hadn't noticed already, I handed that honor over to you a long time ago, genius. Yours. It's been that way for a while." He chuckled at Bill's expression of slight surprise that he'd given up the words without more of a battle. He tilted his head to the side, lips curved upwards crookedly. "What, did you expect me to fight you on that? Boy, I'm just full of surprises today, aren't I?" He narrowed his eyes in amusement. "I'll say it as many times as you want me to. If telling you something like that embarrassed me, then I wouldn't have any business looking this way in front of you in the first place. And speaking of which, if you could do me a favor and speed this thing along I'd greatly appre-"

Bill let go of his wrists, all but attacking Dipper's lips with his own. A little stunned, the brunette took a moment to react. After a second or two though, he lowered his freed hands and coiled them around Bill's shoulders, returning the kiss enthusiastically. He was wary of the still healing wound on the back of Bill's head, careful not to pull at or dig his nails into that spot when the blonde placed his hands on the backs of Dipper's thighs and tugged up. Knowing his only two options were to either fall back against the wall like an idiot or wrap his legs around Bill's waist, Dipper quickly picked the latter. He hummed softly, vastly entertained by this outcome. "That's better," he murmured, pressing his forehead against Bill's. "But you are so going to regret standing when we're done." He scoffed, running a hand through his boyfriend's bangs.

Bill chuckled, a cocky smirk on his face as he brought a hand upwards. "I'm not worried about it," he replied, then pushed two of his fingers to his lips to coat them in his saliva. He eyed Dipper as he did, watching in amusement as his gaze flicked to the side and the blush on his cheeks seemed to darken a bit. Once satisfied with the nervous response he'd gotten, he pulled them away from himself and positioned his index at Dipper's entrance. He hesitated, as if to give his action thought, though it was really only because he wanted to see Dipper driven mad with his own expectance. He inched it inside almost curiously, gauging the reaction he received. And boy, was it an interesting one. The brunette shuddered, his nails scraping against Bill's shoulders, which was rather enticing in itself, as they were both aware of Bill's indulgence towards pain. Dipper's brow twitched and he swallowed thickly, giving a short hiss when Bill started moving the finger in search of a certain button.

Luckily for both of them, his search didn't last very long.

After a few moments Dipper jolted, gasping as his legs instinctively tightened around the blonde. Bill just laughed, watching his hazy expression. "Found it," he chirped merrily, working the second finger in bit by bit and massaging around that one spot. Never quite touching it. He did this for no other reason besides the fact that he knew it had to be unbearable. But even Bill had limits on how cruel he could be, especially when it came to Dipper. So every once in a while, he'd rub against that little pocket of nerves to hear the way Dipper's voice caught, feel the way his muscles seemed to tense up in response. And by the time Bill was finally finished toying with him, his boyfriend was an absolute wreck, head back against the wall and practically trembling from everything happening all at once. Sweat beaded on his forehead and he was panting shallowly. Bill chuckled at him, pressing his nose behind the sweep of his boyfriend's jaw, breathing in a scent that could only be described as 'Dipper Pines.'

He really would never understand what it was about the brunette that had caught his eyes and not let go for the life of him. He would never be able to comprehend why or how. It didn't make sense in his mind. But he knew there was no reason to put logic to a simple fact.

No one else confused him quite as much as Dipper, and he was okay with that.

Frankly, if Bill Cipher were ever to have a weakness, it would be him. Because nothing ever felt shameful or wrong or dirty if it was with Dipper. And he knew that was a pretty stupid sentiment, considering their current circumstances, but he felt it was true anyway.

After a few more long moments just taking in the sound of Dipper's voice mingling with that ungodly intoxicating scent, he pulled his fingers from inside of him. That action incurred a quiet groan from the back of his throat, and Bill leaned back to fully enjoy the stormy expression on Dipper's face. The brunette fidgeted, half-lidded eyes resting on Bill's own. He didn't speak, but his heavy puffing and lusty gaze said all Bill really needed to hear. He chuckled, lowering his hands. Carefully, he undid his belt, tugging his jeans and boxers down enough to free his length, which was already insufferably hard. He gave a quiet sigh at the loss of any pressure against him.

Okay, so maybe he really did wear too many layers. A belt, seriously? Had he even needed that? Probably not, but it didn't really matter much anymore.

He was content with these conditions, as they allowed him to see all of the sweet frustration flash in his boyfriend's eyes as he continued on. The wait was clearly killing him, but Bill once again took his time. He sneered, positioning himself beneath Dipper.

The brunette shifted, biting his lip in anticipation and furrowing his brows at the other. His patience was beginning to wear thin at Bill's antics. All the teasing and all the slowness of the situation when it didn't take mind reading abilities for either of them to figure out that they wanted to go fast - it was becoming difficult to bear. For Dipper especially, and he really held no indignity towards that fact. He glared through the frames of his glasses after a few seconds in which Bill stayed completely still, grinning up at his very annoyed boyfriend.

"Bill," Dipper ground out, taking a breath.

The blonde simply scoffed. "Yes, Pine Tree?"

Dipper practically snarled, leaning close to Bill so the two were nose to nose. "If you don't move in about three seconds, I swear to god I'll-"

What he would have done, Bill didn't know. He never had the opportunity to hear it over his own laughter, before cutting Dipper off entirely and kissing him hard, a palm resting on the back of his neck. The brunette's eyes fluttered shut after a few moments and he melted into it, one hand in Bill's hair while the other was placed on his shoulder. Bill smirked against the other's lips, pushing himself inside the other without much of a warning.

Dipper whined softly, nails tightening against Bill's skin. The blonde shuddered, parting from his boyfriend to gasp sharply at the sensation. It was one of those feelings he was sure he'd never grow accustomed to. One of those feelings that was so surreal it sent shockwaves down his spine. Right then, Bill was certain he was quite literally seeing stars.

Senses almost overwhelmed by all the warmth and the tightness, his free hand slammed back against the wall, as if that were the only thing keeping him balanced. "Fuck," he growled lowly, pulling his hips back, then driving them forward once again.

A broken moan of "Bill" escaped Dipper's lips, and he buried his nose into Bill's hair. His back arched pleasurably against the other. He felt like his veins had been set ablaze and it was probably the most mind numbingly fantastic thing he had ever experienced.

It was like his nerve endings had gone entirely without use up to that point. Even though he'd had sex before, it wasn't quite the same as right then. Right then it was with Bill.

God, he'd never wanted someone as much or even in the same way he wanted Bill. Mind, body, soul, all of him.

Every touch seemed to ignite a new flame that danced across his skin, and he felt like it was going to overcome him. He rolled his hips into the blonde's, matching his pace to the best of his ability. Bill groaned, taking the opportunity he'd been given to bite and suck on Dipper's neck, careful not to leave marks that wouldn't fade overnight. The brunette would have to be able to cover them up, and Bill wasn't that cruel.

He quickened as the slightly strained gasps from Dipper turned into loud cries of his name and a shocking amount of profanity. Bill had never heard some of the more vulgar terms coming from Dipper's mouth, and it was both amusing and slightly awe-inspiring to listen to. Fingernails dug viciously into his back, serving as the only reminder that he needed to keep in some form of control, and not lose the sense of ryhthm he'd found. Based on the sting of his skin though, he could only assume it had been broken in a few places, but he really didn't care much. He was already approaching his peak, and based on the sounds Dipper was making, he was too.

Bill lowered the hand that had been on Dipper's neck and wrapped his fingers around the other's cock. He pumped it to the beat of his thrusting, and Dipper quivered from his pleasure. "Gh-god, harder!" he ordered, eyes clenched shut. His stomach tightened, like there was a coil inside of him, and it was fit to unravel. Bill had to admit he felt it too, and he had lost any restraint he'd had before, practically pistoning into the brunette. Heady breathing and the scent of sex and Dipper clouded Bill's thoughts. He was teetering on the edge.

Though he barely had the focus to think about it anymore, the rough thrusting of Bill's hips seemed to always collide with that bundle of nerves inside of Dipper. It was all becoming too much for him. As the feeling grew more heated and the act grew more erratic, that coil inside of him finally seemed to reach its limit and snap. He moaned the other's name out shamelessly, head buried into platinum blonde hair. His legs tightened around Bill's waist and his nails left red lines on his boyfriend's back as he dragged them downwards. Bill pressed his nose into the juncture of Dipper's shoulder and pushed in hard a few more times before his hips stilled against the other sharply and a wave crashed into him, enveloping his senses as he came as well.

Bill remained still as the effects of his orgasm slowly melted away and he pulled out. His legs shook a bit from the effort it took to not only keep himself standing, but hold Dipper up as well, who was clinging onto him weakly. If he weren't caught between Bill and the wall, he probably would have fallen already, but he regained his sense before the blonde did, and was able to somewhat balance himself. He chuckled, eyeing the dizzy and almost high expression Bill had. And he would know. He'd dealt with a high Bill Cipher all week. Dipper placed a hand on one of the blonde's cheeks and kissed the other. "Told you you'd regret standing," he mused, smiling as he used his other hand to push the glasses up his nose. "Now could you put me down?"

Bill blinked away the remnants of the spots in his eyes and shook his head a bit. He pressed the palms of his hands against Dipper's thighs and lowered him so the brunette could touch the ground again. Bill huffed, pulling up his boxers to cover himself and zipping up his jeans once more. He was more or less clean, besides the sweat gathering at his hairline and the smell of sex that stuck to his skin. Dipper, on the other hand, was quite a mess. The shirt Bill had neglected to fully tear off of him would certainly require a good washing, and he'd need a shower if he wanted to get rid of the fluids all over him. Which was an uncomfortable situation in itself, so he didn't really mind cleaning himself up as soon as possible. "Give me fifteen minutes. I'm gonna get a shower," he said, leaning down and picking up the discarded pair of boxers on the floor.

Bill nodded, picking up his own clothing and waving the brunette away. He sauntered off to their bedroom in slight exhaustion while Dipper went the other direction, towards the bathroom. How Dipper managed not to collapse from their post-orgasmic fatigue, he'd never quite understand. The blonde undressed himself and put on something more comfortable. If they weren't going anywhere, then he didn't really care if he was wearing a t-shirt and bright yellow sweatpants. He huffed, tossing his dirty clothes into the laundry room, even stopping to pick up some of Dipper's clothing had been left on the floor. He was still working on breaking the habit he had of being untidy, but at least he did laundry now.

Though it was mostly because he feared Bill would somehow find a way to burn the house down doing it himself.

Bill stepped into the kitchen and ran water in the sink for a few seconds before splashing it onto his face. He jolted in shock. He'd known it'd be cold, but not quite that cold. "Shit, that's freezing," he hissed, shaking his head. Well, at least he was more awake now, and grabbed a clean rag off the sink to dry his face. He didn't like the feeling of sweat sticking to him, so getting rid of it had been his top priority.

"There," he said, running his fingers through his bangs and straightening them up a bit. He made his way back into the living room and sat down on the couch, moving Dipper's phone to place it on the coffee table. He glanced in the direction of a window, and upon remembering it was there, he felt his ears heat up considerably. He could only thank Dipper's anxieties that any windows in the house were always covered. He'd developed quite a fear of being watched. He didn't tell Bill it was his fault. Or why at all, for that matter.

He didn't need to.

Bill already knew.

Man, they'd fucked each other up pretty badly, hadn't they?

Bill looked up towards the ceiling blankly, letting that thought settle in his mind. "Maybe that'll make it easier to end this," he whispered to himself before going completely silent again. It didn't feel like any time had really passed at all, but it must've, because Bill was taken out of his trance by someone snapping their fingers in front of his face. His eyes widened before he realized it was Dipper leaning over the back of the couch with a grin.

"Something on your mind?" he asked, tipping his head to the side. Bill shrugged, and Dipper frowned. Something had to be, or he wouldn't look so upset. "You know, you really don't make sense to me."

Bill hummed, chuckling. "Likewise, Pine Tree." His hands reached up and pulled the other down gently by his neck. He pressed a kiss to Dipper's lips before parting from him.

The brunette just raised a brow at him. "I thought you understood everything," he pointed out with a roll of his eyes, stepping around the couch to sit beside Bill.

Bill scoffed, looking down at his hands. "There are some exceptions," he admitted.

Dipper threw his legs over Bill's own, scooting close to lean his head down on the blonde's chest. He reached out a hand and traced his fingers over one of the other's palms before taking hold of it. "Do you think things are too good right now?" he asked, closing his eyes.

There was a moment of silence before Bill responded, "Probably."

Dipper sighed in exasperation. "So holding out hope she was too late and lost already is a bad idea, huh?" He laughed quietly at his own rhetorical question, nuzzling his boyfriend's shoulder.

Bill tilted his head onto Dipper's, not minding the fact that his hair was still damp. "Yeah," he murmured, coiling his free arm around the brunette almost protectively. He wanted this more than anything else. He didn't want the dimension and he didn't want power. His now human life was too short to be concerned with such things. All that mattered anymore was prolonging the ones of those he cared about.

The Pines.

Pacifica.

Dipper.

There was no reason to chase after the world anymore.

 _This_ was his world.

 _Dipper_ was his world.

Dipper took a deep breath, smiling a little sadly. "Then in the meantime, do you think you could find it within yourself to tell me you love me?" he questioned softly, voice barely even a whisper. But he knew he'd been heard.

Still, Bill didn't respond. It would be too painful to do so.

No, no he couldn't do that.

Even if he really wanted to.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

"Pacifica! What happened to your hair?!" Mabel practically shrieked, pulling her friend into the Shack. The blonde smiled brokenly, but it was so clearly painful to do so. Dipper flinched just looking at the trembling girl staring through bleary eyes at his sister. Her hair had been chopped almost entirely off. Where it had once reached down to her hips and swayed smoothly as she walked, it was gone. It now hung evenly over her shoulders, still pretty, but not nearly the same. Pacifica had loved her hair. She never would have cut it like that.

She shook her head, bursting into tears and bringing up a hand to cover her face. "The pink faded out a wh-while ago, y-you know? And I was gonna re-dye it, but..." she explained through her sobbing, and Dipper stood up from where he'd been on the couch to approach her. Bill, on the other hand, stayed where he was. All he could do was stare at her in horror, mouth hung open incredulously. Pacifica sniffed, face red from her crying. "And my... fiance said it was unprofessional-looking and I wasn't fit to walk down the aisle b-because he'd be embarrassed if people saw me. S-so dad took his side and mom cut it all off." She was choking out her words by the end, but the hatred in the term fiance had been blatant.

Dipper gave her a sympathetic look, glancing at Mabel. His sister was forcing a smile, hands on Pacifica's shoulders. The corner of her mouth twitched, but she held her ground as she spoke. "He told you that you didn't look good enough for the wedding? Your wedding?" she asked, gaze steady on the blonde's. Mabel was furious, and it showed.

Pacifica nodded, rubbing one of her arms. She looked down, hiding her face behind her bangs, which had thankfully gone untouched. Her makeup was smeared in streaks down her face. Dipper placed a hand over hers, both saddened and enraged someone would treat his friend that way. He could have flipped a table if he weren't more concerned with Pacifica's feelings over his own. Mabel, though.

She was beyond reason.

"Well, what does he know?!" she snarled, raising her voice. Pacifica's eyes widened and Dipper flinched, shocked by her outburst. Bill finally stood up at the sound of her losing her temper, approaching the situation as delicately as he could considering the fact that he was right there with Mabel on this. "HE DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING!" she roared, stepping back so her yelling didn't bust everyone's eardrums. It was the last thing she recalled doing logically that night.

Pacifica lifted a hand and Dipper let go of her other one. "Mabel, it's fi-"

But she was inconsolable. "It's not fine!" she snapped, stomping a foot on the ground. She'd had it up to here with a man she'd never even met. And frankly, if she never did, she'd die a happier person. "Does he even know your middle name? Or what your dreams are? Has he ever sat up with you at night just because he wanted to talk with you? Has he ever even cared to try? I'll bet you every penny I ever make he hasn't, and he never will. Because he's just some snobby rich idiot your parents called in because they're selfish! You deserve better than anything they have to offer you, and you deserve way better than some asshole that's gonna treat you like a prize. You are not an object, Pacifica Elise Northwest, and I'm not going to sit here and let them pawn you off like one."

Pacifica was stunned, and Dipper had backed away from them. He thought it'd be best to leave them be, as Soos had just peeked his head through a door in concern. But he quickly left upon realizing this was a private matter. Bill, however, stood in the back grinning and egging on more of Mabel's speech. Her eyes flicked towards his and he motioned for her to continue. Dipper shot him a glare and yanked at his arm, but Bill just grabbed the brunette's wrist and held onto it. He knew what he was doing.

"You are worth more than anything he could ever give you, and he must be blind if he thinks you don't look good enough for him." Her voice came out like a growl, and she narrowed her eyes into slits. "How dare he even imply you aren't pretty or amazing or worthy of his precious fucking time?! You are gorgeous and I swear if I catch you thinking any different because he said so, I'll smack you silly and then have him running back to his mommy and daddy faster than he can sign a check! Because I don't deal with that, and I won't let you deal with that either. Do you understand me? You are beautiful, with or without long hair. And you don't need to be good enough for him."

Mabel pointed a finger at the blonde, and Bill edged the situation a bit further with a couple gestures towards Pacifica. Dipper didn't know what his boyfriend was playing at, and he really wanted to get out of this. It didn't feel right to invade. Mabel grit her teeth and shook her head. "Because he doesn't care about you at all! He doesn't love you! I love you!" She stopped as soon as the words left her mouth, freezing in place. Bill let go of Dipper's arm and shot him a cocky glance. Dipper just stood there, awestruck his sister had confessed at all. Pacifica did as well.

Mabel laughed dryly, bottom lip quivering. "Ah... Pl-platonically, I mean," she whispered, looking down at her feet. Bill suppressed the urge to point out her bullshit, and placed a hand against Pacifica's shoulder blade, pushing her towards Mabel gently. He chuckled, lifting a hand for a high five, but Dipper was too stunned to even notice. The blonde shrugged, smacking his own hands together with a snicker, as if that made up for being left hanging somehow, and grabbed his boyfriend by the arm. He pulled him to the side, allowing the girls a bit more room.

"Give me a chance sometimes, I'm smarter than you give me credit for," he whispered to Dipper, who only nodded his head, snapping himself out of it.

Pacifica sniffed, taking a small step towards Mabel. "You... I... Mabel, I love you too," she murmured, closing her eyes. "Um.. More than platonically." The words were difficult for her to say. But once they'd left her mouth, she felt entirely liberated by them.

Mabel's eyes had stars in them, and she opened her mouth, only to close it again when nothing came out. A few seconds went by, and Pacifica feared she'd broken the poor girl. That is, until Mabel squealed like a little kid and practically jumped forward to hug the other tightly. "Why'd you never tell me?" she asked, elated. She used a hand to give Dipper and Bill a thumbs up, to which her brother just scoffed and Bill pressed his index to his thumb with a smirk.

Pacifica returned the hug. "I didn't want to ruin us, I guess..." she replied nervously, burying her nose into Mabel's shoulder. "What about you? Why didn't you tell me?"

Mabel pulled away to look her in the eyes. "Same reason, actually..." she admitted, smiling softly.

Bill had a triumphant look on his face. "This is cause for celebration, I think!" he exclaimed, looking all too giddy. He glanced at Dipper, who rolled his eyes in amusement. "And of course your birthday, too."

Dipper scoffed, nudging the blonde's side with his elbow. "You just want an excuse to break open those bottles in the freezer," he pointed out, and Bill shrugged, not even bothering to deny it. Pacifica gave a short laugh, wiping the tears from her eyes.

She cast Bill a look that only he seemed capable of reading, then pointed towards the bathroom. "Hey, I'll be right back. You guys can get started without me. I'm just gonna wash my face really quick," she said, walking off to do just that. Mabel watched her go with a goofy-looking grin. She was clearly on cloud nine. And as soon as Pacifica was out of sight, she was jumping excitedly and twirling around like it was all she knew how to do.

She clamped her hands down on Dipper's shoulders, bouncing cheerfully. "Oh my gosh broseph this is the best day of my life and we're gonna celebrate so Bill go get the alcohol this is gonna be great I might have a girlfriend holy fudge pops I'm so happy!" she whisper-shouted, her lips moving faster than the words seemed capable of leaving them. Somehow, though, Dipper got the gist of what she'd said. And Bill did too. Probably.

Maybe he'd just heard 'alcohol' and jumped at the opportunity.

Either way, he gave a salute and walked off to do as she'd asked. And once Pacifica returned, they cracked open the bottles, sitting down and wasting away the hours with increasingly intoxicated chatter. And eventually-

"Happy birthday to me!" Mabel cheered, a bright red hue overtaking her cheeks. She gave Pacifica a lopsided grin and downed the drink in her hand. It was midnight, therefore the thirty-first of August. And that meant one thing.

It was officially the Pines twins' birthday.

Dipper laughed, taking a swig of his own. "And mine," he added, giving the drink to Bill, who took it enthusiastically.

Mabel waved a hand dismissively, standing up. "Do you know what this means, bro-bro?" She was giddy, and didn't give him the opportunity to answer her question. "We're on top of the world! It's only uphill from here!" She fist bumped the air, doing a little twirl. She was drunk, clearly. But Dipper didn't mind it. Actually, his birthday was one of the only days a year he drank so much.

Hell, he and Bill alone had already gone through a bottle of gin and another of cinnamon flavored whiskey, which was certainly becoming a fast favorite of Bill's. He grinned ear to ear, sharp canines jutting out. Dipper was also admittedly pretty inebriated, but he was a bit more used to it than the blonde. "You say that every birthday," he pointed out, tipping his head to the side.

Pacifica snorted at the behavior of her friends, taking the bottle from Mabel's hand and holding it to her lips. She took a drink, enjoying the surprising sweetness of it on her tongue. "Keep it down, Mabel. Melody only let Bill stay here because she didn't want us driving anywhere like this," she said with a laugh, pointing towards the demon, who made a face at that. What was he, a dog? He'd done nothing wrong, and she still hadn't lightened up in his presence. Pacifica ignored his childishness though. "We wouldn't want her kicking us out anyway."

Mabel shook her head, sitting back down. "Melody wouldn't do that," she said almost thoughtfully, but the slur of her words threw that off. Pacifica made a skeptical sound, stirring the drink in her hand a little. The entire house smelled of alcohol, and it was a wonder nobody had complained yet. Soos wasn't exactly a drinker, and Melody didn't partake herself. Ford was downstairs avoiding the situation like the plague. He didn't want to tarnish his view of his great niece and nephew by witnessing them in some drunken stupor. And Stan frankly didn't give a damn. As long as they didn't drink what was his he was content.

Mabel sat back down, though she was bouncing excitedly. It was impossible for her to sit still, even when she had no real clue why. "So how was High Cipher?" she asked with a giggle, raising her brow at Dipper. She knew it had at least been somewhat eventful. Or at least, that's what she'd gleaned from the rather informative picture message she'd been sent the day before.

Dipper groaned, throwing his arms in the air. He glanced at Bill, whose stupid cloudy eyes were narrowed at him. "He was a pain in my ass all week," he puffed, looking down at the bottles they'd gone through.

For some reason, Pacifica scoffed and Mabel giggled, covering her mouth. "I'll bet," the bleached blonde chirped, lips pulled into a cattish smile.

Mabel seemed to be trying really hard not to laugh, her shoulders quivering from the effort. "I'd believe it, considering how funny you've been walking today," she added with an unsuppressed snort.

Dipper felt his face light up more than it already had from his alcohol-induced blush. "What?!" he yelled incredulously, eyes wide. At his reaction, Mabel burst into laughter and Pacifica was unable to hold it in. Bill was as well, his amusement entirely uncensored. Dipper just watched in mortification as their cackling slowly died down. He was silent, glaring at each of them before giving a chuckle, which thoroughly confused the others. "Heh, you're right. That's fucking hilarious," he hissed, narrowing his eyes into slits at his boyfriend. A sneer spread wide across his face. "But you wanna know what's even funnier?"

Mabel scooted the tinest bit closer, intrigued. Pacifica followed after her. Bill grew suspicious. "Kid-"

But Dipper hushed him, going on anyway. "The first time-"

Bill jolted in realization. "There's no reason to mention the first time!" he said in a slight panic, putting down the booze to place a hand on Dipper's shoulder. But his boyfriend shrugged him off, snickering.

Dipper usually didn't like talking about his sex life. But drunk Dipper didn't care much. Besides, they wouldn't remember it in the morning.

...Probably.

"You brought it on yourself. And anyway, if things I do in my bedroom are gonna be talked about, then so are things you do," he puffed, crossing his arms like he believed his logic was solid enough to argue with. "Bill is a total masochi-"

Bill's face was in his hands. "Stop," he pleaded loudly to drown out the rest of the word, unable to meet the girls' eyes as Mabel gasped and Pacifica giggled. They spent the next few minutes kinkshaming him, much to his dismay.

The night went on that way, with long drawn out wars between the boys to see who could embarrass the other more. Mabel passed out first, and Pacifica dragged her off to bed with Dipper's help, leaving just him and his boyfriend to choke down water until they stopped feeling quite so dizzy. Even when Dipper was at his most inebriated he remembered his ritual of hydrating himself, which Bill was grateful for. Had he forgotten, they would have woken up with killer hangovers.

Unluckily for the girls, they hadn't stayed up long enough to do the same.

Pacifica had her head down on the kitchen table, dark sunglasses covering her eyes. She groaned, a hand coming up to rub the back of her neck. Mabel looked equally as miserable, if not more so. Dipper felt bad for them both, as he and Bill were relatively headache free. Pacifica begrudgingly brought herself to her feet, staggering slightly. "I should probably get going," she grumbled, fingers pressed into her temples. "Mom and Dad set up some stupid wedding banquet for me." Mabel looked up at her through narrowed, tired eyes, disappointed she was still going at all.

The day Pacifica pushed herself from beneath her parents' thumb would be the day Mabel had her shot with the blonde.

Until then, she could at least rest a bit easier knowing Pacifica felt the same.

And surely she'd not go through with the wedding. Surely...

Dipper nodded at Pacifica, glancing at the saddened look on his sister's face. "Alright. We'll be see-" The sound of light knocking on the door interrupted him and he looked towards it. "I'll get it. See ya, Pacifica!" he called as he stepped into the living room and placed a hand on the doorknob. Pulling it open, he saw a face he hadn't expected to see before him.

Beth stood with her gloved fist raised as if to knock once more, a nervous expression on her face. Her cheeks turned pink after a few seconds spent gawking at him. She looked away, lowering her hand and shoving it into her pocket. "H-hey! You haven't b-been at the shop so much. I just wanted to ask the owner if you worked here anymore..." she choked out, seemingly on edge.

Dipper gave her a sympathetic look. He felt bad not saying anything, even if Bill wouldn't have liked it. Everyone around him still seemed convinced she had this huge crush on him, and maybe she did. But still, it looked to him like she didn't really talk to anyone else in town, and it wasn't her fault she was so shy. "Sorry about that," he said sincerely, smiling politely at her. "No, I don't. I just moved across town actually."

Beth nodded in understanding, and Pacifica's mouth hung open as she watched their little exchange. This was the girl that had been flirting with Dipper? She grabbed Bill by his arm and yanked him behind her as she darted across the room and into the hall, calling her goodbye to Mabel. Dipper nor Beth paid them any attention as she dragged Bill up the stairs. "What are you-" But she cut him off.

"You need to get Dipper away from that girl immediately," Pacifica hissed, as if forgetting about her hangover. "She's bad news."

Bill crossed his arms, looking annoyed. "You're telling me," he muttered, disdain apparent in his tone.

Pacifica sighed in exasperation, tapping her foot. "No, I mean bad news as in that girl shouldn't be alive." She paused to watch Bill's face go from puzzled to suspicious to disbelieving in only a matter of seconds. "She moved to town a few years ago, but died shortly after. It was reported she had a terminal illness, but people around town don't talk much about it. If I were you, I'd look into getting rid of her. Especially with your weird demonic drama going on." Pacifica looked down, and she seemed thoughtful, but it was hard to tell with those sunglasses on.

Bill was quiet for a few moments, giving the idea a bit of thought. It all started making sense in his mind. Her fascination with Dipper, her constant flirtation. Hell, even her name screamed obvious. How hadn't he seen it? "Thanks, Blondie. You should probably get going, though. Don't wanna hold up your parents," he replied blankly, his mind somewhere else entirely. Pacifica silently did as she'd been told, leaving him alone with his thoughts. After a minute or so he made his way back downstairs. Dipper had just closed the front door and was halfway into the kitchen.

Bill silently crept out the door, careful not to catch Dipper's attention. He didn't want nor would he need help. If Elizabeth was in that physical form, he could kill her. Or she could kill him.

Whichever came first.

Either way, he wouldn't put Dipper at risk. He followed after "Beth", keeping his distance. She seemed to lead him into the woods, which he thankfully knew well. Most people drove their car through them, but she was clearly a minority in that rule.

After a while, however, it became clear to him she wasn't on her way back into town. In fact, she stopped in a place Bill was all too familiar with. Beth stepped into a clearing and sat down on the ground in front of a stone statue that jut out of the ground. A triangular stone statue, in fact.

Well, if that wasn't damning.

Bill strode out into the clearing, and she seemed to notice his light footfalls approaching her. She tilted her head back to look at him, eyes going wide upon realizing she'd been followed. "What're you-"

Bill didn't allow her to finish, though. "Cut the act, Elizabeth" he snapped, something flashing in his eyes. Hatred blazed in their depths and she moved away from him a bit.

An anxious grin pulled her lips upwards. "A-act?" she questioned, and her mask was commendable.

Bill took a menacing step forwards, but froze. Not now, he thought when a sharp, excruciating pain touched his eyes. His heart was beating wildly and he staggered dizzily for a second. Beth watched him with her mouth hung agape, as if pondering the choice of either running away or helping him. She sighed, taking him by his arm and leading him forward. She let him sit down against the flat side of the statue, all the while he coughed up blood into his other hand. "I don't know what you're going on about," Beth said in slight worry, and Bill stared at her, confused, "but my name is Bethany. Who's Elizabeth?"

Realization was really difficult to convey when in pain, it seemed. Bill's ears were buzzing and he felt like he might throw up any given moment. He really wanted to avoid that, however, as it only caused him more anguish. "Wait... Bethany?" He hadn't given her much thought. Age changed appearance quite a bit, and he hadn't been as concerned with watching the town for the last ten years. But he was sure then that he knew her. "What's your full name?"

Beth rubbed her arm, awkward but not really afraid anymore. Frankly, Bill looked like he'd fall over any second. She didn't feel threatened knowing he'd sooner pass out than chase her if she darted off. "Bethany Donovan," she responded, kneeling down to his level and examining him. His skin had paled considerably and something about his eyes seemed different. Hadn't there been a small ring of yellow around his pupils?

Now that she really thought about it, they'd been an almost ethereal gold the first time she'd met him.

Something paranormal was going on, she was certain. Not that paranormal was anything less than the usual in Gravity Falls, but this interested her.

Bill grumbled angrily to himself, avoiding her strangely intense gaze on him as he mentally smacked himself in the face for nearly assaulting a girl he'd known as a normal resident of the town. Bethany Donovan. She'd lived here as a child, before Dipper or Mabel had ever even come to visit. But the summer they came along, she'd been absent, and as far as he'd known, she hadn't come back. He supposed he was wrong to assume that looking at her, but he was curious.

"What are you?" she asked, tilting her head to the side and sitting comfortably on the grass in front of him.

Bill tipped his head back against the stone of his statue, eyes narrowed. The pain was still horrific, and his hands were visibly shaking. The fact that he hadn't gone unconscious yet was a miracle, but maybe that was simply because Elizabeth wasn't trying to pull him into the mindscape this time. "I'm the guy that got turned to stone. Sort of," he said through ragged breaths, tapping the rock behind him with a hand. "And I'd be happy to explain, but first I wanna ask you a couple questions myself. Why'd you come back to town, and why'd you pick this of all places to be? You don't look like the kind of girl to wander around the woods staring at stones."

Bethany looked down a moment before giving a sigh. She began unbuttoning her coat and pulled it apart. Shrugging it off her shoulders, she held out her arms for him to see. Dark scars and burnmarks traveled up them, and seemingly continued on even further. Bill just stared at them in awe. "When I was little I really liked candles. And so did Mom. She'd light them all over the house at night. It was something we both just enjoyed, I guess. But we had this cat..." She stopped to laugh halfheartedly at her story.

Bill knew exactly what she was talking about. He recalled this event pretty well. It'd happened only a few months before Dipper and Mabel had arrived. He opened his mouth to stop her, but Beth shook her head and continued. "And one day he knocked a candle on the ground, which caught one of our rugs on fire. I woke up in the middle of the night to the smell of smoke. The entire first floor of our house was burning away, and trying to get to my parents downstairs I passed out. I guess I inhaled too much of it... But the next time I opened my eyes, they were gone and I was permanently marred. I guess that's life and all."

Bill nodded his head, the agony finally starting to ease, even if only a little. He still felt like parts of him were snapping in two, but that would feeling would leave him. Hopefully.

"I moved out of town - not that I had a choice - and was passed between family members until I was eighteen. After that, I lived on my own, but recently I decided to come back, and what a choice that was..." Beth sounded disappointed. "All of these crazy amazing things happened as soon as I was gone, and no one will talk about it. I guess the mayor enacted this 'Never Mind All That' thing everyone takes way too seriously. All I could get from anyone was that Dipper and Mabel Pines were the town heroes that changed everything. Then of course there's this new statue no one acknowledges or talks about, or even dares to go near. I wanted to find out its origin, but I always hit dead ends instead. And what's even more frustrating is the fact that after all this time people still knew me. So I'm just that burnt orphan girl everyone sees but tries to ignore around town now. No one ever smiles when I'm around anymore." She wrapped her dark, marked arms around her legs, a sad look on her face.

Her eyes trailed upwards to meet Bill's. "I know I've been invading, but all I ever heard about for so long was the town saviors. I wanted to meet them, especially because they wouldn't recognize me. I wanted to be friends with them and hear all their stories. I knew they'd tell me, too! But then Dipper kept smiling at me, and I felt like I belonged. I guess I became infatuated with him and lost track of my goal. Or maybe I became infatuated with the idea of being accepted, I don't know. I mean, I was aware of the fact that he was only being so nice out of common courtesy and even that I was pissing you off, but..." She seemed unable to come up with an excuse. Bill exhaled. He didn't have it in him to hate her, or even be all that angry with her.

But that still didn't answer his most important question. Why had Pacifica told him Beth was dead knowing all of this?

Eyes wide, Bill began forcing himself to his feet. "Shit," he growled through his teeth, the agonizing pang in his bones increasing as he stood. He could tell this would be his last time experiencing power drainage, and whether that was a good thing or a bad thing was irrelevant. All he knew was that he needed to get to Dipper as soon as possible. Beth looked up at him in confusion as he staggered, rising to help him.

"Woah, what are you doing? You don't look up to anything right now," she pointed out, a hand against his shoulder. "And you said you'd explain what you meant earlier."

Bill closed his eyes for a few moments to let them relax the tiniest bit before opening them again. "I will on the way. You're coming with me, or else that hero of yours won't live to tell you much," he coughed out, swallowing the blood that pooled in his throat and cringing. She gave him a strange look, but glanced down at the statue, then back up at him. Whatever he was up to, she'd trust, despite any reason she might've had not to.

Dipper narrowed his eyes at the road, annoyed Bill had run off without him. He supposed it probably had something to do with it being Dipper's birthday, but he really didn't want anything. And he especially didn't want anything big. He sighed once his house came into view ahead of him. He might have beaten Bill home, as the blonde had gone on foot, so maybe he could somehow stop whatever the surprise was from happening. But maybe there wasn't one anyway.

Though that seemed somewhat out of character for Bill.

Dipper pulled into the driveway and turned off the car. Stepping out of it, he yawned, tired. He hadn't slept much the night before, since he went to bed around four-thirty in the morning and woke up sometime before ten. In short, he was exhausted, and if the surprise involved anything along the lines of a nap, then he'd be content. Dipper didn't like treating his birthday like a special day much after turning thirteen. But drinking occasionally with his sister could be fun, so he just rolled with it.

Opening the door and stepping inside, he was met with silence. No lights were on and it was rather dark since Dipper insisted upon covering the windows. The only window he liked at all was the stained glass one in his old room, for whatever reason. He furrowed his brows, making his way across the room. Bill didn't seem to be here. Or maybe he was, and was trying to keep quiet.

Giving a thoughtful hum, Dipper pulled open his bedroom door, then stopped. Sitting in his desk chair was Pacifica, and she was flipping through the nearly finished novel he'd been writing. She scoffed, standing up. "This is pretty good," she mused, holding the notebook up. Dipper smiled nervously, taking a step back. That couldn't be Pacifica.

Not Pacifica just laughed, pulling the sunglasses off of her face to reveal the featureless white eyes Dipper was all too familiar with.

"How's it end?"


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty-One**

"How's it end?"

Not Pacifica sat her sunglasses down on Dipper's desk, along with his notebook. "I'd really like to know," she hissed, her voice fading into an empty, echoing version of what Pacifica's had once been. "Does the hero defeat the villain, or do things take a more... interesting turn?" She reached into the purse that dangled from her shoulder and pulled out a gleaming handgun. Dipper didn't flinch, watching through disdainful eyes as it was held up and pointed at him.

"Where'd you get that?" he questioned, keeping his head high even when a blood curdling click informed him that she'd turned off the safety.

Not Pacifica shrugged, grinning manically at him. Her smile spread farther than what Dipper had believed possible, and her teeth almost looked too sharp to be human. "Might I remind you that your uncle owns ten of these things. It wasn't hard to get my hands on one," she remarked, a hand on her hip.

Dipper took a deep breath, forcing his gaze to remain level with hers. "Where's Bill?" This time it was less a question and more so a demand.

It probably wasn't wise of him to have such a tone with someone pointing a gun at him though. Not Pacifica's brow arched upwards, and her grin faltered angrily. "Watch yourself, Dipper," she growled, lips pursed. "And anyway, he's not here. I sent him after that Beth girl with some dumb story. After everything that's happened, did you really think it'd be that easy to spot me? Beth? Elizabeth? Now that'd be too easy. He must be braindead to believe something like that." She laughed and Dipper grit his teeth.

"It's kinda funny though. This entire time, he's been baiting me. And all the while he never realized how easily I could do the same to him," Elizabeth remarked, amusement evident in her hollow voice.

Dipper's heart was beating wildly. "What do you mean?" All he could do was interrogate her at this point. Maybe she'd give something away he could use against her.

Elizabeth hummed. "Did you really never notice? The metal plate, the deal with Stanford, the desperation. All of it was some reverse psychological bullshit and he actually thought I'd fall for it. He always thinks he has the answer. But he doesn't anymore," she went on with a horrific expression. "I do."

Dipper resisted the urge to ask her what the deal with Ford had been, but he held it back. Picking his words correctly was top priority. "Well if that's the case, what do you need me for?" he went on, his leg moving backwards in a subtle way, motion slow and deliberate. He went rigid however when Elizabeth held her hand high in the air and pulled the trigger. An ear-splitting bang stopped him in his tracks, and he tried not to react at all when dust and a small amount of rubble fell to the ground in front of him.

"That's easy," Elizabeth purred, lowering her arm once again. "Stanford would resist me easily in this form. He'd probably kill me, no hesitation. Bill, too, so using him wouldn't matter much. Oh, but you~" She laughed, a high pitched cackling, her free hand over her mouth. "You were always Stanford's favorite. He'd try to kill me, but in the end, he wouldn't be able to do it, and I'd use the same method to make him rebuild the portal as I'm about to use on you now. Because - like I said - I don't have any use for Pacifica." The she-demon shrugged, pulling back her hand to press the cold metal of the gun to her temple. Dipper's eyes widened in terror.

"But you love her dearly, don't you? And oh! The look on your sister's face if she ever found the love of her life dead!" She gestured a hand and spoke melodramatically. "Just knowing it was your fault, too... I could hardly imagine the pain she'd feel. Barely able to look you in the eye. Horrible thought, isn't it? And you've already done her so much wrong."

Dipper clenched his jaw, body shaking violently with rage. He let his eyes fall to the floor. "So you want to possess my body?" he spat, looking back up at her with fire in his gaze.

Elizabeth placed her free hand on her hip. "Oh, no! I've learned from Bill's mistakes. He was far too kind to you then. Actually, we're going to become quite familiar with each other's company in a moment, assuming of course you take my offer," Elizabeth cooed, taking a step forward. "We're going to share that head of yours until I get what I want. Well, heh, share is a bit of a generous term. I'm going to occupy every deep, dark crevice of your mind to keep you in check while I do what I need to. Resist me, and it only gets more painful, believe me. And it's going to be excruciating, both in your physical and mental state. Deal?" She outstretched her free hand, smiling cheerfully at him.

"I mean, it's a small price to pay for the lives of your family, isn't it?"

Dipper felt tears prick at his eyes, but he shook his head. If he was going to go down, he'd go down with dignity. Silently, he stuck out his arm and took her hand, and in that instant he watched Pacifica's eyes return to normal and fill with horror just before she collapsed. Dipper felt he must've done the same, because everything went black, and a chill that hadn't been there prior touched his skin. And then it turned into a searing cold, which clung to his body and burned every inch of him. He screamed, or at least, he'd assumed he had. No sound could be heard at all, whether or not it came from him. Eerie, dead silence surrounded him as he struggled to keep himself on his feet. His body felt as if it were on fire, yet frozen, and he twitched from the agony it put him in. His brain seemed to be melting; he couldn't think straight. Blackness had poured into him, seeping into the deepest parts of his mind like tar. Elizabeth had said it'd only hurt more if he fought her, but he had no choice. There were only two options.

Find a way to push her out of his mind and live...

Or die trying.

" _Oh, quit_ ," Elizabeth's frustrated voice puffed, disembodied and foul, as usual. A staticky image of her eyes appeared over him, unblinking. " _You're only slowing me down_." The eyes narrowed into slits.

Dipper stared back at them for a few moments before an entirely new wave of agony crashed over him, and he wailed once again, silently. This time he fell from his feet and sputtered, trembling. He couldn't let her have his mind. Slowly, he pushed himself upwards and stumbled a few steps. " _What are you trying to do, kill yourself_?!" Elizabeth demanded, but her tone wavered.

Fearfully, in fact.

Dipper sneered at her glowing orb-like eyes, taking a couple more broken steps towards her. She seemed to move backwards just as much. He didn't even attempt speaking. It was useless. But he didn't need to. He'd figured something out about all of this. His human mind wasn't strong enough to house both himself and another being in its entirety for so long, especially while the Mindscape was in such a horrific state. But out of desperation, Elizabeth had risked it anyway. The Nightmare Realm was standing on its last leg, and if he could defeat her just one more time, then this mess was over. Everyone would be able to breathe again. if he just fought enough that his body went unconscious from it, then he'd be able to win this. But...

Stalling Elizabeth this way was sure to kill him.

Dipper could already feel himself falling apart at the seams, anguish overtaking his senses, but he put it aside. This was for his family. This was for the whole world. This was for Bill. And if he thought about it that way, then it was worth it in his eyes. Even if it cost him his life. Even if it would hurt the people he loved. " _You cocky little - I won't let you take what's MINE_!" Elizabeth screeched, and Dipper never would have guessed had he not felt it, but she leapt at him.

He couldn't see her, but he felt himself be knocked down. He felt her clawed hands at his throat. He felt her eyes boring into his own.

" _You made us pass out, you little brat_!" she hissed, shaking him, as if to rouse him from slumber. But he barely felt it against the sensation of her nails piercing into the skin of his neck. "But you know what? That's fine. If I can't get what I want, then you'll suffer with me, and isn't that exactly what you were aiming for?" She grinned widely, and Dipper was almost certain he'd heard the smallest crack where her hands were. " _At least I have the satisfaction of seeing you die first, and poor Bill's left all alone_." She must have come closer, because Dipper felt her frozen breath touch his cheek. " _Because spoiler alert, kiddo, he was never dying to begin with_."

Dipper choked, instinctively bringing up his hands to tug desperately at her wrists, but pain made him weak. He thrashed against her grip, writhing feebly. And when he was sure he was done for, a voice cut through the thick emptiness around him. "Pine Tree!" Bill shouted upon seeing him, darting to the brunette's side. Dipper was passed out with his left arm stretched towards the front door of the living room. The other was splayed out at his side. "Shit shit shit shit shit," Bill whispered, rushing to his side and hauling his boyfriend upwards. Beth, who had come with him, covered her mouth, horrified by the red scratches forming and reddening on his throat.

"You wouldn't happen to know any good exorcism incantations, would you?" Bill asked with as much of a light tone as he could manage, laying Dipper down on the couch as gently as possible. It wouldn't matter now, even if that were the case. Exorcism was no good when the demon took control without blatant force. Beth just shook her head at him, expression filled with worry. Bill closed his eyes, which still burned terribly, and took a deep breath. He needed to calm himself. He needed to be in a stable mental state if he wanted to fix this. There was a groan from the other room, and the voice was certainly feminine. Bill turned to look towards the hallway just when Pacifica trudged out of his room, her head in her hands. When she looked up and her eyes landed on Dipper passed out and Bill with genuine fear in his eyes, a horrible pang of guilt overcame her.

This was all her fault..

Or at least, it felt that way.

She exhaled softly, somberly, pulling her phone from her pocket. "Sh-should I call everyone and tell them what's happening?" she asked in a saddened tone, unable to meet his broken gaze.

There was a short moment of silence. "No.." he breathed, glancing between her and Beth, who was staring at the ground. It didn't seem like she wanted to make any comments. It wasn't her place now to be sympathetic. Bill shook his head and sat down on the floor beside Dipper. "Hey, kid.. Are you putting up a good fight in there?" he asked quietly, the words barely audible. Beth wouldn't have heard them had she not focused herself with listening and not talking.

Bill looked down. "You'd better be," he whispered, cracking the most pitiful smile Pacifica had ever seen. She looked over at Beth, who tipped her head towards the door. It seemed they'd both had the same idea. This wasn't their moment, and as much as Pacifica wanted to be with her friend, she'd let Bill have his time. She stepped quietly towards the exit and slipped out the door. Beth followed behind her, giving him one last look before leaving him to speak.

Without them there to see him, Bill practically fell to pieces. He wrapped his fingers around one of Dipper's wrists, taking comfort in the feeling of a pulse against his palm. The sting in his eyes was different then, something he'd seen others do but never experienced himself. Part of him never wanted to, so he blinked a couple times to keep it at bay. "Don't do this to me, kid.. Please. Not here, not now..." he pleaded, voice weak and trembling. "Not ever." Bill choked.

Dipper didn't stir.

The only indication of life in him at all was the slow, rhythmic rise and fall of his chest, along with the steady beat of his pulse. "You can't die like this. I won't - I won't let you. Not after everything you've been through. This can't be what ends your story, Pine Tree. Please!" Desperation filled his tone, and the sting of his eyes felt irreversible. His vision was blurred, and his face went hot. He bit the inside of his cheek.

Bill took in a long, shuddering breath. A few moments passed. He chuckled dryly, the beginnings of an emptiness rooting itself in his stomach. "D-do you remember a few months ago... The day we drove to the edge of town? And we sat on the hood of your car." Bill sniffed, barely holding himself together. "When I got all quiet, I-" He sobbed, and a couple tears escaped him.

"When I stopped talking it was because I was about to tell you I love you," he admitted, closing his eyes. Silence ate away at him in the seconds after saying it, but it hardly mattered. "I should have told you then, honestly. But... I had this thought, and it really stuck with me. I thought it wouldn't matter, because I was gonna be dead soon anyway, whether it was my powers or the she-demon or.. or whatever. I thought I'd only hurt you more by telling you." He let go of Dipper's wrist to cover his eyes with his hands. "Why didn't I just fucking say it then?" he questioned aloud, angry with himself.

His whole world was lying unconscious on the couch and it was all because of Bill's own terrible decisions. "I set it all up to be the one where you are now, Pine Tree. I wanted it to be me, if it had to be anyone at all. I didn't see any other solution to this. She'd get one of us eventually, I knew. But it never should have been you. The first noble thing I've ever done, and it - heh - it blew up in my face..." Bill forced out his words, shaking his head. "And now you're dying because she caught onto me. I'm so sorry for this... I'm sorry you're in this mess right now. I'm sorry I never said I loved you."

Bill's shoulders trembled. "I'm sorry I ever asked to make a deal with you in the first place... If I could take it back, I would."

He brought a hand back up, this time to intwine his fingers with the brunette's. "It's not even fair... You've got so much more waiting for you. Shooting Star, Blondie, Sixer, Fez. All of them love you, and all of them need you," he murmured, sniffling.

"I love you.. I need you."

Once again, Dipper didn't respond, not that Bill had expected him to. He just scoffed, that void in him seeming to grow ever larger. He felt as if he were dead himself. "And let's be real here, you'd get over me eventually. You'd sulk and feel sad for a while, probably a few years. You're so damn stubborn. But... you'd pick yourself up eventually, even if it was hard. You'd find yourself someone else, someone better. Way better, I'm sure. And you'd finish that novel of yours." That thought in itself was heartbreaking. Dipper had gotten so close to the end. And now he'd never finish it. Bill was unsure whether he'd be able to do it for him. It'd hurt to much to even look at. Bill sobbed pitifully once again. "Everything would be as it should be."

He couldn't be sure, but Bill was almost certain he'd felt Dipper's pulse against his skin slacken. He sighed. "I guess that was idealistic of me to assume, huh? I mean, life would go on as usual for you. At least, after you kicked yourself back into gear. But I can't do that. I don't... I don't function normally without you. I'm lost. I'm broken. And I need your guidance and saintly patience or else I won't be able to go on," Bill continued, his voice weak. "Kid, the other day I got excited because I finally brewed some fucking coffee without burning myself, and that's just because I watched Pacifica do it. If you're not there to help me through things, then I lose myself in them." He sounded utterly defeated, and he was. He was crushed. If Elizabeth had wanted him to return to the state of complete emptiness he'd been in as a demon, then she'd done it. There was nothing left of him but anguish.

"I'm not cut out to be a human. I'm not cut out for this kind of existence, but when I'm with you... I feel like maybe it'll work anyway. Like maybe we'll make it work out of our combined persistence. Because even when I'm a pain in your ass and things get difficult you still somehow work hard enough to keep us both afloat. And god, I love that about you." Continuing to talk was all he could do to keep himself from screaming. The pain he felt in his head and eyes was nothing in comparison to this. Had he known sadness - true sadness - was actually physically agonizing, then he never would have underestimated its power.

Dipper's pulse had noticeably weakened, and Bill placed his other hand on the brunette's chest. His suspicions were confirmed; Dipper's body was shutting down. There was barely even a heartbeat to be found.

This story was nearing its finale, it seemed.

Bill figured he'd better make these last few words count.

"You know... I always knew that your eyes dilate when you're looking at someone you love. But I never knew you felt it happen," he said in a shattered voice. "I never knew that people could be so content just looking at another person as they speak. I never knew you could be so invested in the words being said that you somehow forget to respond. I never knew it felt so goddamn good to dedicate your entire existence to someone else. Until I did it myself..."

Dipper's life was barely detectable anymore.

Bill didn't try to stop the tears that trailed down his cheeks anymore. "But everything I've done since I took this form... It's all been for you."

There was no feeling from the brunette's hand in his.

"Dipper... Please."

But it didn't matter.

The story was over.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Bill's uncensored grief - no, distraught - was absolutely impossible to choke down. He clutched one of Dipper's hands in both of his own and sobbed pathetically. It was all he could do anymore. Never, in all of the time he'd lived, had Bill Cipher ever felt so powerless. Literally and figuratively. Not only was he entirely helpless to his circumstances, but he couldn't hear a single thing coming from Dipper's mind either. The only sound was that of his own sniveling drowning out the silence.

Worse, the horrible pain in his eyes had increased to an almost unbearable point, but he didn't let go of Dipper's hand. As long as he was still warm, Bill could pretend a small breath of life still existed in him. And the brunette didn't actually seem to be growing colder at all, but Bill couldn't really know for sure. He was probably just going crazy, in all honesty. Or it could always be the fact that he clutched Dipper's hand like a vice, as if refusing to give into the horrible truth. Bill grit his teeth and let his head fall against the edge of the couch. His body shook, and he just wanted it to go away. He wanted everything to go away. If he ceased to exist right then, it wouldn't matter.

Nothing would matter.

Bill choked out a strained groan, finally pulling his hand from Dipper's to cover his eyes. He'd always known pain was enough to knock someone out, even kill them, and this was the worst experience he'd ever had with it. So why didn't he just fall unconscious until it went away, like always? Or hell, why didn't it just end him already? It wasn't like he cared anymore. He resisted the urge to dig his nails into his eyes until they stopped being a nuisance to him at all. He ground his teeth together so hard he feared he may just chip a couple of them, body curled over on the floor. His breath was panting and shallow. He couldn't see straight. His nerve endings were electrified. He could have screamed from the anguish. And then, in one quick, almost overwhelming moment, it was gone. Like a string snapping in two.

Bill shot upwards once again. He blinked a couple times until his vision cleared up, wiping the sweat gathering on his brow away with a sleeve.

Dipper gasped.

He took a few labored breaths, moving his hand - the one Bill had held until only a few moments prior - to press against his chest. His wide eyes searched the ceiling until it became apparent to him where he was. He sat up with a hiss, running his fingers over the large red scratches on his neck gingerly. When he turned his head to the side, Bill had already pushed himself up onto the couch and wrapped his arms around the brunette's slightly thinner frame without even a moment's questioning. He pulled the brunette close to him, though he was careful to mind the fact that Dipper seemed to be in a bit of pain. A loud cry escaped his lips as he buried his tear-stained face into Dipper's shirt. "I'm so sorry. I love you. Never do this again. Never leave me again," Bill begged, sobbing once again.

Dipper felt sympathy tug at his chest. It was his fault Bill was such a mess. It was always his fault Bill was a mess. No one else affected him the way Dipper did. He smiled softly, using a hand to rub his back soothingly. "I know.. Shh, I love you too," he whispered, pressing his nose into tousled blonde hair and taking a relaxed breath. Bill still smelled faintly of vanilla and mint, as always, which Dipper found incredibly calming about him. "I won't leave you. It's okay now. We're okay now." It was all he could think to say, leaning back and placing his hands on Bill's face to tip it upwards.

His eyes no longer held any color within them. They'd darkened from a cloudy, almost silver hue to a deep gray. Dipper pressed a kiss to his lips, and Bill seemed to calm down a bit more. His shoulders weren't quite as tense. He looked broken, everything about him, but somehow everything suddenly felt right again. He placed a hand against one of the brunette's own, his other still holding the other by his waist. He was silent, taking everything in. As if this were his last chance to look Dipper in the eyes.

And maybe it was.

Bill decided he should probably start treating every look like it was the last, or at least when it came to Dipper. "How?" he managed. No other words seemed to find their way from his mouth.

Dipper's gaze flicked away from the intent stare of his boyfriend. "It doesn't matter," he replied, resting his head on the other's shoulder. The two of them deserved to relax for once. They deserved to be at ease. There would be time for explanation later. Dipper would tell Bill the things Elizabeth had revealed to him one of these days. He'd go into detail about all the little secrets eventually.

He'd tell Bill that the Mindscape was held together by its strongest occupant, and without him it had begun to fall apart faster than ever.

Bill wasn't losing power because he couldn't handle being in a human form. He was losing power because his connection to the Nightmare Realm had been severed, and the decaying dimension could no longer reach him. Dipper had been right to compare the process of it to withdrawal, because that's precisely what had been happening.

Bill had been the timer throughout all of this. Once he was entirely human, the Mindscape would no longer work as a bridge between the two dimensions, and their world would be completely cut off from the Nightmare Realm, which would die on its own soon anyway. If of course, it hadn't already. Of course, Elizabeth had wanted them to believe otherwise, and every step she took she lead them towards opposing theories. In the end though, it had hardly mattered.

But Dipper remained silent. He didn't want to talk about it. He wanted to close his eyes and take a deep breath for the first time in what felt like years. It was better if for a short while, Bill believed both of their lives right then were miracles.

"How much of what I said did you hear?" Bill asked quietly, letting his hold on Dipper loosen a bit. The brunette hummed, lifting his head from off his boyfriend's shoulder.

He chuckled, pushing back Bill's bangs to notice the fact that the third eye had disappeared, presumably for good. Dipper placed a kiss against his forehead, which the blonde found both comforting and slightly embarrassing. The gesture seemed a bit too sweet for them, but at this point he didn't care much. All he wanted to do anymore was hold Dipper's hand and hug him and never let him out of his sight again anyway. What did Bill have to be embarrassed about at the end of the day? He'd just sobbed uncontrollably for a good ten minutes and poured out his heart to the love of his life. Nothing was too sweet anymore. "A lot, if not all of it," Dipper admitted with a small smile, shifting to get off of Bill and stand up.

Bill did as well, giving a slight nod. He decided not to continue with that conversation at all. Everything that had needed to be said had already been said earlier. "Hey, Blondie's out there. I think you should go see her now," he said, wiping the remnants of his tears away. Dipper agreed, stepping towards the door and pulling it open with Bill directly behind him.

Outside, Stan's car had only just pulled into the driveway, probably mere seconds prior. Mabel opened the door and practically burst out of it, darting for her brother before Pacifica could say anything from where she sat on the step in front of the door. Mabel's arms wrapped tightly, almost too tightly, around Dipper's torso and he stumbled backwards a bit. "Oh my gosh I thought you were- Pacifica called and said- I was so scared!" Mabel was crying, and her words came out almost hysterical. Dipper hugged her back and reassured her that he most certainly was alive, despite how things may have seemed. Stan and Ford had gotten out of the car, too. Relief washed over Stan, who walked over and placed a hand on Dipper's shoulder. He didn't say anything, but Dipper could read his expression just fine.

Ford let out a breath like he'd been holding it in for way too long. He also stayed quiet, but exchanged a seemingly meaningful glance with Bill, relaxing the hand that had been ready to pull a handgun from his belt. Pacifica had gotten her tears out already it appeared, and she was attempting to comfort Mabel while still keeping most of her attention on Dipper, who laughed and made jokes to lighten their moods. Beth hung back a bit, smiling politely and staring down at her hands quietly. In the heat of the moment, she'd left her coat beside the statue in the woods. It felt strange and uncomfortable to be near so many people without covering the burns all over her body. If they even noticed her presence then she'd probably lose any semblence of a friendship she'd made with them.

She jumped a bit when something was held out towards her. Beth's eyes flicked up a bit to see Bill with only a white button-up on now, and the light blue sweater he'd been wearing a moment ago was in his hand. He frowned, and his gaze wouldn't meet hers, but he'd clearly been crying. "If you really need to cover up so bad then take it. Consider it an apology for accusing you of being an evil demon hell bent on destruction or whatever," he grumbled, pocketing his free hand. Beth reached out hesitantly and accepted his offer. She opened her mouth to thank him, but he'd already turned away from her once again. Giving a sigh, Beth put it on and laughed quietly to herself about how small she was in comparison. But it would do until she got her coat back.

"Thanks," she whispered, almost to herself.

But he heard her just fine.

Bill snorted watching Dipper fiddle with the tie around his neck. "This is bullshit," he muttered angrily. "Getting all dressed up for a wedding I don't even wanna go to. This thing's too damn tight. Bill, fix it." He quite clearly gave up on trying, turning his head towards the blonde, who raised an eyebrow in response.

"Demanding, are we?" Bill chuckled, taking Dipper's tie into his hands and loosening it a bit. "You know, the whole point is to look formal."

Dipper huffed, giving him the slightest glare. "I don't give a damn. A; I hate wearing suits. And B; I never even wanted to see this guy, let alone attend his wedding," he hissed, casting the groom a rather nasty look. "Why should I have to look nice when I don't even want to be here?" He was pouting. Bill rolled his eyes, which had remained their now permanant gray.

"Because Shooting Star's sitting at the bar contemplating another drink, and I feel like maybe you should tough it out for her. Blondie doesn't wanna do this any more than you wanna see it," he rationalized, tipping his head towards the lone woman at the bar with her head down on the counter. "Just be polite and try not to get into a fist fight with the guy before we leave. Now go get your sister; she's supposed to be standing at the altar right about now." Mabel was the maid of honor, and the wedding was about to begin. Pacifica would probably feel even worse walking out there just to see Mabel wasn't even waiting for her.

Dipper sighed, standing up. "Since when are you polite?" he muttered.

"I'm pretty damn good at pretending." Bill shrugged.

From the seat beside him, they could clearly hear Ford scoff, as if in agreement. That earned a faint smile from Dipper, who strode off to usher his sister back to the place she needed to be. Albeit neither of them looked too happy about it. The groom wrinkled his nose at the twins, eyeing the purple in Mabel's hair, which had recently been redone. "Must you look so unprofessional?" he questioned to himself, and Dipper spun on his heels to face him, smiling in as friendly a manner as he could pull off.

"Must you be such a pretentious asshole?" Dipper narrowed his eyes. "Raise your voice a little louder if you have something to say. It's not lady-like to mumble," he snarled, and Bill stood up to stop him with an exasperated expression. But it seemed he didn't need to intervene. Mabel pressed a hand to her brother's shoulder and pushed him in the other direction with a reassuring look. He sighed, but made his way back to his seat silently.

Bill watched him sit down, then did the same himself. "What did I say?" he whispered, and Dipper frowned.

"To be polite," he responded in frustration, tapping his fingers against his knee.

"Completely disregard me, why don't you?" Bill smirked, eyes on the altar. "That was pretty good though," he said with a sneer, raising his hand for a high five. Dipper let a laugh slip, smacking his palm against Bill's. He was about to make another comment, but music started to play, and he knew what that meant. The two of them forced themselves to look as serious as possible, but it was hard when Bill kept whispering rude things about the groom - Henry, if he remembered correctly - under his breath. Dipper tried to keep a straight face.

Even Bill had to stop making an ass of himself when Pacifica appeared, eyes facing straight ahead. Her lips were curved upwards into a soft smile and her hair was styled, bangs swept neatly to one side. Most people wouldn't be able to guess how unhappy she was. She walked in calculated, perfect strides, and her dress trailed neatly behind her. She was gorgeous, as always, and if anyone said otherwise Mabel would throw a fit. Still, her smile was forced, not that most would be able to tell. She stepped up to the altar and faced Henry, who seemed unbearably aloof. But she said nothing. It wasn't like she could. The ceremony began, and each moment being there felt more agonizing than the last. And that could be said for Pacifica along with all of her friends. Frankly, nobody even wanted to be there but her parents, who apparently thought this was like true love or something.

"And do you, Pacifica Northwest, take Henry to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

Pacifica opened her mouth, but glanced away. Her gaze searched Dipper's and Bill's, as if silently asking them what she should do. Dipper shook his head, practically begging her not to go through with this. Bill just cocked a brow at her, chin propped up on one of his hands. His other was resting on Dipper's knee in as inconspicuous a manner he could pull off sitting right next to Ford. Though he appeared to be aware of it. He just didn't seem to care much, which was almost unexpected. She let her eyes dart back towards Henry, who was grimacing at the fact that she hadn't answered. Oh, who was she kidding?

She didn't want that asshole as a husband.

She wanted the kind of relationship Bill and Dipper had, minus the almost dying all the time.

But she could practically hear that horrible bell ringing in her ears.

Pacifica inhaled, closing her eyes for a moment and steeling her nerve. "No. No, I don't," she said firmly, and a shocked gasp erupted from her mother. Henry narrowed his eyes.

"I'm sorry?" He didn't sound particularly amused with her antics.

But Pacifica didn't budge. "No, I'm sorry to have wasted your time. But I really don't want to marry you. And I'd give you the whole 'you're a nice guy and all' speech, but honestly, you don't even have that going for you," she ribbed, pulling the veil off her head. "This dress is tacky, and you're the biggest jerk I've ever had the displeasure of speaking with. So what I'm gonna do now is I'm gonna leave here with people that actually care about me so I can properly apologize to the person I really want to be with. And then do you wanna know what I'm gonna do?" She pressed a finger to his chest, and he looked thoroughly offended. But before he could reply she'd already continued. "I'm gonna go dye my hair. Pink. All of it. And nobody is going to tell me I can't."

He was stunned. Just about everyone was. Her mother's mouth hung open, and her father was seething. But neither said a word before Pacifica spun around to face Mabel. She dropped the veil and took her hands. "If that's okay with you, I mean..." She smiled sheepishly, looking down. Seconds passed. Mabel's eyes glittered, and her cheeks were even rosier than usual.

The feeling of being on cloud nine was impossible to keep hidden, though, and she bounced up and down excitedly. She grinned from ear to ear. "Bill, how do I say yes in every dead language you know?" she asked, earning a laugh from Pacifica.

Bill just rolled his eyes playfully, standing up. "Who cares? Just kiss so we can leave already," he called back, happy this entire nightmare was finally being put behind them. Mabel just nodded, craning her neck down to brush her lips against Pacifica's.

"Fantastic. Now can we all get in the damn car and go home?" Ford questioned, standing as well. Dipper did the same, elated this had gone so well. Pacifica nodded slowly, starstruck. She'd just been kissed by Mabel Pines, whom she'd been hopelessly in love with for years. Mabel giggled, pulling her by her hands towards the exit, and neither looked back when the blonde's parents called for her to stop immediately or never bother showing her face in front of them again. Who the hell cared? She'd pick up her things later, and they could be rid of her. It wasn't like she was happy living with them anyway. Satisfied by this outcome, Dipper and Bill followed after the girls.

Ford waved for Stan to come along as well. "There's enough whiskey at the house. Hurry up," he grumbled, though a small smile tugged at his lips. Stan responded gruffly from his place at the bar, sauntering towards Henry.

"Tough luck," he commented, and the other seemed incapable of coherency. A few long seconds passed, and Stan shrugged. He poured the shot glass in his hand out on Henry's shoes, then threw down a small black capsule. It burst and smoke puffed out, enveloping the area around them. "SUCKER!" Stan yelled, running off towards the exit.

Little did Henry know, Stan had even gone to the trouble of taking his wallet.

But come on. The guy practically had it coming. What kind of asshole brings a wallet to their own wedding?

Henry, apparently.


	23. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Dipper always kind of figured Mabel would have kids before him, especially since he didn't think Bill would ever even consider them. But standing outside of the hospital with his boyfriend on the day he became an uncle felt absolutely surreal. He paced back and forth restlessly, resisting the urge to gnaw at his fingernails. He shoved his hands into his pockets, muttering to himself. "It should have happened already. I hope everything's going well. What if it's not? What if she's not okay?" He shook his head.

Bill placed a hand on his shoulder and he stopped. "Kid, relax. Take a breath, why don't you?" he said calmly, tipping his head. "We came out here so you could get some fresh air, but you're not doing yourself any good right now." He reached out his other hand and spun Dipper towards him. "She's fine. And anyway, I'm sure Blondie would have freaked out by now if things weren't going smoothly." Dipper opened his mouth to protest, but decided quickly that Bill was right.

He supposed he didn't have any reason to be so scared, but he'd always been very protective over Mabel. And besides, the poor guy had enough paranoia to go around. Of course he'd be on edge here, especially when things had gone so well for all of them the past few years.

After Pacifica had left her fiance, she picked up all of her things and temporarily moved into the Shack to be with Mabel. Those living arrangements didn't last long, however, because Bill quickly handed what remained of his gold over to her and she sold just about all of her jewelry for cash. With that, the couple was able to get a place in town, which doubled as the boutique Mabel had always wanted. They made pretty damn good money too, which was almost shocking in a town as small as Gravity Falls. They got married, decided they wanted a kid, and the rest was history.

Beth even stayed in town, living in a little house built right over the place her old one had been. She'd said it felt right, being there. She'd said it felt right being in Gravity Falls. It was her home. And now she had a home with friends. Life wasn't so lonely anymore. It was comfortable and secure. It was finally a life worth enjoying.

As for Dipper and Bill - well, things were pretty normal after everything that had happened. As normal as that town possibly could be, at least. Actually, on occassion, the two seeked out whatever paranormal craziness they could find in the woods together, just because things almost got boring. But it was peaceful, and Dipper was more than grateful for that. He'd published his book, which practically flew off shelves upon release, and he could hardly fathom why. Of course, he wasn't complaining. He''d gotten exactly where he'd aimed to be. He went to interviews and book signings, even spoke to fans. Still, it felt strange to be recognized for his writings, like he'd always wanted, when this wasn't exactly the outcome he'd had in mind. Dipper had always expected he'd get famous for his supernatural findings, not a novel nobody would ever believe was secretly nonfiction. Well regardless, it felt good. And he was in the middle of writing his next book, which was the beginning of a series he was sure people would enjoy.

Needless to say, things had finally returned to their peaceful beginnings. Everything was as it should be. Soos and Melody managed the Shack, and Stan and Ford stayed there when they were in town. In fact, they had just barely gotten back from their last "mission" in time for Mabel to be admitted into the hospital. When they arrived there, their clothes were still tattered and an iridescent green goop stuck to their bodies. No one bothered asking about it, but the nurse had a look of pure disbelief staring at them when they came in. It was a pretty amusing sight. Bill had made a mental note in his head to make a snide comment about it to Ford when he came back inside the building, but he'd been too busy chasing Dipper out the door to bother with it then.

"It's okay, Pine Tree," Bill soothed, pulling the brunette towards him. Dipper sighed, lowering his head to nestle it beneath his boyfriend's chin. That earned him a chuckle from Bill, who certainly didn't mind the affection, despite being in a public place. Everyone in town knew at that point. "You know, this whole thing has gotten me to thinking." He sounded a little distant.

Dipper scoffed, standing upright to face him. "That's dangerous," he replied with a grin. But Bill didn't retort, so he knew something was up. Dipper furrowed his brows. "Alright. About what?" His tone seemed somewhat worried.

Bill glanced to the side and he laughed almost awkwardly, which was very out of character. Nothing made him nervous. It was one of his traits Dipper was both jealous of and entirely annoyed by. "Well I did say... that I wanted the full human experience," he mumbled, eyes not meeting the brunette's.

As if Dipper didn't already know that. "Yeah?" he questioned. "Okay."

Bill sighed, jaw tight. "I mean like your sister and Blondie," he explained as simply as he possibly could. Surely his boyfriend wasn't that dense.

There were a few moments of silence, which hung thickly in the air. Dipper blinked once he realized the implications of that, just staring. He needed a while to process that. "You mean.. Like, marriage? A-and kids?" He tried to keep his voice level. This whole situation was already nerve-wracking, and now this bomb gets dropped on him. "That doesn't sound very 'you,' Bill."

Bill's gaze flicked back upwards. "Heh, yeah, but.. That is a part of the deal, isn't it?" he questioned anxiously. "I mean, Blondie and Shooting Star had everything figured out pretty quickly. And they look so happy all the time..." He was rambling, a rare occurence for him. "I just kinda watched it happen and thought, heh.. Um, well I thought it looked like something I wanted to do." A small, an anxious smile played on his lips.

Silent, Dipper placed a hand on the back of his neck. "You're joking." He sounded completely disbelieving.

"Sh-should I be...?" he muttered questioningly. Stuttering; yet another thing Bill never did.

Dipper's expression was difficult to read, but Bill almost thought he looked.. starstruck? The blonde was about to break the silence once again when he felt Dipper's free hand grab his collar. Warm lips pressed against his and Bill closed his eyes, taking the kiss as enough of a response in itself. Fingers combed through his hair. Bill lowered his arms to be around Dipper's waist, about to tip his head when snapping caught his attention instead.

"Do you two mind untangling yourselves from each other for half a second?" Ford's voice grumbled, and Dipper parted from Bill to look at him in slight embarrassment. The former demon groaned in annoyance, and Ford shot him a short glare before his gaze met his nephew's once again and softened a bit. "Mabel wants to see you."

(• •)

Dipper's eyes lit up, and a giddy grin spread across his face. "So everything went okay?" he asked, practically bouncing in an energetic, Mabel-like manner. Bill unwound his arms from around him, but reached for one of the brunette's hands and took it.

Ford couldn't help but crack a smile. "See for yourself," he replied, stepping back towards the doors, which opened automatically once they detected his movement. Dipper didn't even hesitate; as soon as his uncle wasn't in the doorway he darted back inside and passed by the old man, tugging a surprised Bill inside by his hand.

He didn't even have an opportunity to make that snide comment he'd had planned.

Pacifica stood outside of Mabel's hospital room with her arms crossed, tapping a foot. Her short pastel pink hair curved delicately around her slim face, and beneath neatly trimmed bangs her eyes were narrowed towards the boys coming towards her. "Hurry it up already," she barked impatiently, waving them towards the door and opening it. "Ladies first," she remarked, pointing them inside. Dipper didn't react, but Bill snickered. She got better and better every day. He was almost proud.

A few short seconds passed. "Pine Tree, you have to actually move if you want to go forward. I hope you know that," Bill said, tipping his head to the side. Dipper stared ahead with his mouth hung open a bit, hand tightening around the blonde's. Bill arched a brow, following his boyfriend's gaze. Mabel was lying back in the hospital bed, dark circles beneath her eyes and hair messy. But a soft smile adorned her face as she looked down at the little sleeping bundle in her arms. She glanced up at Stan, who was standing beside her bed.

"Grunkle Stan, you're not crying, are you?" she asked with genuine worry.

He just pulled his glasses off and rubbed his eyes, an adamant frown on his face. "Of course not!" he muttered. "That monster spat in my eyes earlier. It stings, is all." He knew he wasn't convincing at all, but that wasn't really the point. Mabel laughed, looking over towards the door.

She rolled her eyes. "You gonna stand there like statues all day or what?"

Bill felt a hand against his shoulder blade. So did Dipper. "Go already," Pacifica huffed, pushing them into the room.

She hung back and closed the door, giggling to herself when Dipper attempted to stammer out his congratulations. Mabel tilted her head back, looking between both of them. Bill just seemed amused, although his gaze did carry amazement within it. Dipper, on the other hand, had a bit more trouble keeping it down. He was rendered speechless, smiling ear to ear. "You alright, broseph?" Mabel inquired with a small chuckle.

He just nodded, snapping himself out of his trance. "Y-yeah! I'm fine," he responded, reaching out a hand to gently tousle Mabel's hair. His heart felt light. Lighter than it had felt in a long time. He finally took that much-deserved breath, and nothing else mattered.

"I couldn't be better."


End file.
